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Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare basic tax returns in communities across the country. |
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Four options for training and certification are available: Process Based Training (16 hours) Covers basic tax law software, administrative processes, and allows some time for test that leads to certification. Presented over 2 consecutive Saturdays or 4 consecutive evenings. Process Based Training Extended (32 hours) IRS approved integrated training covers basic/intermediate tax law, TaxWise software and tests that leads to certification. Presented through a week; 8 hours for 4 days. Link and Learn Training with Practice Lab (up to 20 hours depending on experience level) Students achieve certification at their leisure using a web-based training program. This interactive program integrates tax law and software to assist the volunteer in learning to prepare a tax return and includes a certification test. Volunteers can come in for an optional orientation class, then after completing certification, the student is required to attend a follow-up 4 hour familiarization class that covers administrative processes, reviews tax law, and teaches software used for preparing returns. Volunteers are required to bring certification and Form 13615, Volunteer Agreement to class Intermediate/Advanced Class (8 hours) Offered to all students who are interested in extending their knowledge to a higher tax certification level, this is an additional 8 hours on Saturdays. Must have already certified at the basic level. |
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New Tax Preparers |
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Returning Volunteers |
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Intake/Greeter |
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Advanced Level Assignments |
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Available Training |
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Two options for training and certification are available: Link and Learn Training with Practice Lab Students achieve certification at their leisure using a web-based training program. This interactive program integrates tax law and software to assist the volunteer in learning to prepare a tax return and includes a certification test. Volunteers can come in for an optional orientation class, then after completing certification, the student is required to attend a follow-up 4 hour familiarization class that covers administrative processes, reviews tax law, and teaches software used for preparing returns. Volunteers are required to bring certification and Form 13615 Volunteer Agreement to class Tax Law Update & Test Out (6-8 hours) Tax law update, review of basic tax law, software review, administrative updates and certification test using TaxWise software. Must have already certified at the basic level.
Intermediate/Advanced Class (8 hours) Offered to all students who are interested in extending their knowledge to a higher tax certification level, this is an additional 8 hours on Saturdays. |
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Classroom Training (2 hours) Class includes instructions for site administrative operations and excellence in customer service.
Online Training Train on the vitsa.org website, must register with the volunteer coordinator before attending a site. Class includes instructions for site administrative operations and excellence in customer service. |
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Site Coordinator (48 hours) The coordinator is the lead person at the VITA site and responsible for program coordination and various administrative duties associated with managing a site. This also includes weekly coalition coordinator training. 48 hours of training. M thru F 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Training includes tax law, software, and Site Coordinator responsibilities. These responsibilities cover both the coalition requirements and the IRS requirements. Training is designed to achieve Advance certification. Training is presented jointly by the IRS-SPEC relationship manager and the coalition instructor.
Quality Reviewers (40 hours) Reviewers’ primary responsibility is to review all income tax returns prepared by the tax preparers. This includes checking income, adjustments, credits, as well as, basic entry information. Training is designed to achieve Advance certification. New reviewers with no experience as well as returning reviewers will be trained in basic, intermediate, and advance level tax law, software, and administrative processes with test and certification at the end. 40 hours, M thru F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
Classroom Instructors (16 hours) Covers basic tax law software, administrative processes, and allows some time for test that leads to certification at the advanced level. Presented over 2 consecutive Saturdays. |
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Training and certification for volunteers with or without experience who wish to prepare income tax returns. |
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Offered to volunteers who have previous tax preparation experience and are comfortable with the tax law. |
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Front line person to welcome taxpayers to the site. Greeters are responsible for delivering administrative information to the taxpayers. This includes explaining intake and interview sheet, what the process is, and delivering any coalition outreach. |
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Advanced Level Assignments |
