Volunteer Tax Preparer VITA Program - United Way of Hunterdon County

Position Overview

As a Volunteer Tax Preparer with United Way of Hunterdon County’s IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, you will provide free, high-quality tax preparation services to low- and moderate-income individuals, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and limited English speakers. The role emphasizes professionalism, accuracy, and confidentiality, and works in collaboration with Site Coordinators and the overall VITA Program Manager.

Core Duties:

• Complete all required IRS certifications.
• Conduct accurate intake interviews.
• Prepare tax returns using IRS software.
• Support a quality review process for each return.
• Maintain confidentiality and follow UWHC Code of Ethics.
• Refer out-of-scope cases as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete the Volunteer Standards of Conduct Training – Ethics using IRS Link & Learn Taxes (LLT) system.
• Complete the Intake/Interview and Quality Review certification.
• Certify, at a minimum, at the Basic level. For more complicated returns, certify at the Circular 230, Advanced, Military, Puerto Rico levels, Foreign Student, or international tax law levels.
• Prepare only returns that are within the volunteer's certification level(s) and within the scope of the VITA/TCE program.
• Refer taxpayers with returns out of the scope of the VITA/TCE program to explore Free File options or use a professional return preparer.
• Provide high-quality tax return preparation to all taxpayers.
• Interview the taxpayer using Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview and Quality Review Sheet, to determine if all income, deductions, and allowable credits are claimed.
• Engage the taxpayer when preparing the tax return, to ensure understanding of the information on the intake sheet. Advise the taxpayer that they are ultimately responsible for the information on the return.

Bilingual volunteers are especially needed.

• Training is mostly online with a few in-person trainings available
• Tax sites open first week of February