Description
VITA Tax Preparation Volunteer Job Descriptions
JobTrain, Menlo Park
Tax-Aid has been helping low income families prepare their tax returns in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 23 years. As the lead agency for the United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Program in San Mateo County, we are partnering with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. In addition to providing free tax preparation services, we are working with Single Stop USA to connect low-income clients at JobTrain in Menlo Park/East Palo Alto to various benefits (i.e. Food Stamps, health insurance, etc.). Together, our goal is to ensure that community members have access to and receive all the benefits that they are entitled to receive.
We are seeking volunteers of all levels to help us deliver these vital and free services to the community.
There are volunteer opportunities for Greeters, Tax Preparers, E-file Tax Preparers, Translators and Tax Return Reviewers. While some opportunities require knowledge of tax laws and require certification, there are many opportunities for those who are not familiar with the tax laws to volunteer with us.
VITA Volunteer Responsibilities for All Positions
• Commit to at least 3 months of service starting in February 2011.
• Attend all applicable training workshops and site orientation classes. Mandatory all day training is December 3, 10 and January 7.
• Work with individuals in a positive, respectful and empowering manner.
Preferred Skills, Experience, Attitude and Availability
• Bilingual skills desirable (English/Spanish, English/Cantonese or English/Mandarin).
• Strong interpersonal communication skills with people from diverse life circumstances.
• Tax background desirable, but not required for all positions.
• Experience working with low-income communities desirable.
• Enthusiastic and flexible.
• Availability Tuesdays and/or Thursdays afternoon or evening.
Specific Positions
Greeters
• Greet Taxpayers.
• Make sure they are comfortable while they wait.
• Check that they have the necessary documents so they can be helped.
Tax Preparers
• Must be certified as a VITA Tax Preparer.
• Interview Taxpayer.
• Complete tax forms.
• Prepare the return for filing.
Translators
• Must be bilingual or multilingual.
• Must be able to conduct communication between the Taxpayer and VITA Tax Preparer.
• Help to interview Taxpayer when the Taxpayer is not familiar with the language of the Tax
Preparer.
• Desired language skills are English/Spanish, English/Cantonese or English/Mandarin
both verbal and written.
• If Translator is certified as a VITA Tax Preparer, he/she may also help answer tax
questions.
Tax Return Reviewers
• Must be certified at VITA advanced certification level.
• Review returns that have already been prepared.
• Tax background a plus.
Volunteer Perks
• Learn tax law and utilize cutting edge tax software.
• Receive ongoing training and support from skilled professionals.
• Become an IRS certified tax preparer.
• Help make a substantial difference in the lives of clients.
How to Apply:
Please email taxaid.jobtrain@gmail.com
