The VITA program provides free tax preparation assistance for low-to-moderate income individuals and families in our community. By helping people claim all of the tax credits for which they are eligible, volunteers can give many individuals and families in our community a chance to build a financial future. Intelligent, well-trained volunteers such as yourself are vital to the success of this program.
Last tax season, volunteers helped put over a million dollars back into the pockets of our community. We need your help in 2014! With your help, we're excited to serve even more individuals and families this coming year.
Here are four volunteer positions you can choose from:
Tax Preparer:
Tax Preparers work directly with individuals and families to file their tax returns. Tax preparers walk clients through the tax preparation process and prepare returns using TaxWise software. We teach you everything you need to know in required training sessions. After training, volunteers complete IRS Volunteer Tax Preparer certification tests and are ready to start filing returns!
Quality Reviewer:
The Quality Reviewer carefully reviews all tax returns completed by Tax Preparers and ensures that the tax return is error-free. The Quality Reviewer also prepares tax returns as needed depending on the site’s volume and answers taxpayer’s questions.
Intake Processor:
As the first person a taxpayer encounters, the Intake Processor welcomes clients to the site, screens for eligibility and preparedness, collects documents, and assembles the information necessary for the Tax Preparer to complete the tax return in an efficient manner. The Intake Processor plays a critical role in ensuring that clients have a quality experience.
Translator:
We are in great need of bilingual volunteers to help clients and our volunteer tax preparers communicate effectively. The translators help ensure that the taxpayers understand their tax return and their tax obligations.
Thank you for Volunteering!
Check back for more details about 2014 Volunteer Training
New volunteers will attend 26 hours of training. Six sessions cover the basics of tax law and the TaxWise software we use at the VITA sites. At the completion of the trainings, you will be familiar with the 1040 tax form, know how to determine filing status and dependents, and understand income, tax deductions, and tax credits. Volunteers are required to attend all training sessions consecutively.
Welcome back, seasoned volunteers! This training is for any volunteer who has prepared tax returns for our VITA program 1 or more years. We’ll cover tax law changes, updates, areas that need clarification and also TaxWise.
Intake Processors and Translators set the tone for a client’s experience at VITA sites and are critical to helping the tax preparation process run smoothly. At this training you will learn how to do these important jobs and see what’s new for the tax season. This training is for new and returning Intake Processors and Translators.
Workshops will provide you with additional support and practice learning tax law and TaxWise Software. These sessions will give you an opportunity to ask trainers specific tax law and technical questions or concerns.
Helpful Documents:
Other useful IRS and United Way documents related to VITA will be made available shortly.