In April, the Greater Princeton Branch of AYLUS (GPA) joined International Rescue Committee as Volunteer Tax Screener, working in Elizabeth, NJ.
Related: The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grant program: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/irs-vita-grant-program
Free VITA Tax Trainings: Bi-Weekly Starting in November for VITA Advanced/Basic Certification
BACKGROUND: The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.
SCOPE OF WORK: The IRC’s Program Quality and Innovation Unit assists offices which help newly arrived refugees and other low-income individuals reach self-sufficiency by finding entry-level employment and progress to living wage jobs; learn basic financial management skills and build assets; start small businesses; and access Earned Income Tax Credit. Under the supervision of the Tax Site Coordinator, Volunteer Tax Screeners will ensure that taxpayers have all the necessary information and documents required to complete a tax return. The program is offering services to clients in IRC offices located in Phoenix, AZ; Denver, CO; Elizabeth, NJ; New York, NY; Dallas, TX; and Salt Lake City, UT. The IRC’s goal is to assist 4,000 taxpayers in preparing their returns in a safe, culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Refer taxpayers with ‘out-of-scope’ returns to a professional return preparer.
Complete all IRC and IRS mandated training and certifications, including the Standards of Conduct (VSC) certification and Basic level certification (IRC prefers certifying at the Advanced level).
Ensure the taxpayer has brought the required documents (e.g. valid photo identification, Social Security card(s), W-2, 1099, 1095, prior year’s return, etc.) for tax return completion. Give each taxpayer Form 13614-C and the Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet to complete.
Explain the site’s return preparation process to the taxpayer. Provide assistance in scanning and uploading necessary tax documents while also verifying taxpayer identification.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- The volunteer will learn how to effectively coordinate VITA program
- The volunteer will learn about providing financial services to community members.
Qualifications
REQUIREMENTS:
High school diploma required. Students studying finance, accounting, or a related field, preferred.
No previous experience as a VITA volunteer required – IRC will provide the required training for the program per IRC’s and the IRS’s policies.
Excellent customer service skills, including experience working with a diverse client base;
Strong organizational skills and high level of attention to detail;
High level of computer literacy;
High level of comfort and effectiveness in working with multicultural and multi-disciplinary teams;
Strong commitment to economic empowerment of low-income and underserved populations;
Go through an IRC background check
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Position will require travel to the IRC office or other tax preparation location. Standard, professional office environment; Some evening and weekend work hours will be required; If working virtually, home internet and personal computer/laptop required.
This position reports to the Tax Site Coordinator and local Financial Capabilities Staff. This is an unpaid volunteer position. No financial compensation, including compensation for relocation, is available.
GPA Volunteers (4/8, 4 hrs): Laetitia Huang, Meichun Pan, and more.
