TAX-AIDE Certifications Policy Manual - OneSupport [General Program Management][General]

TAX-AIDE Volunteers must annually ● Attend Volunteer Site Policies and Procedures presentation/training by Tax-Aide including the AARP Foundation Standards of Professionalism and Incident Reporting Protocol ● Attend IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct training ● Pass the IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct test with at least 80% correct answers ● Sign the Volunteer Agreement (IRS form 13615) ● Attend Quality review presentation Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Counselors, ERO, Instructors, Training Coordinators, Training Specialist ● As a minimum, pass a technical tax law test at the advanced level with a score of 80% or better to certify to prepare or quality review tax returns. ● Separate optional training material and tests will remain for:, Health Savings Accounts, and Military Certification Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Counselors are required to complete: ● Hands-on training in TaxWise, and satisfactorily complete a minimum number of practice returns in the course of training as defined by the SC and implemented by the TRS For 2014 Tax Season all Arizona counselors are required to prepare the following 4 Practice Problems including ACA Addenda. Available in the OneSupport Help Center [Tax Training]  Clark, Scott, Meadows and Holmes. SCs may waive this requirement in extraordinary circumstances Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Instructor Certification ● Instructors must be certified for the tax year that corresponds with the tax law being taught in volunteer training classes ● If prior year tax law and software is being used in class, the Instructor must have been certified for that prior year ● Instructors must successfully complete current year certification prior to training volunteers for current year tax preparation Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Volunteer Agreement forms ● Must show the tests passed and be signed by an Approving Official (Instructor or other certified designee) ● Approving Official must be satisfied of the identity of the volunteer either through previous personal contact or by examining a government issued photo identification ● Certification tests must be graded or reviewed and approved by Instructors who are certified for the current tax year. The state SPEC office may be contacted to certify the TRS Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Summary from the ADS ● Instructor/supervisors have to sign as approving officials. ● Make sure all applicable blocks on the are checked, if fulfilled. ● Each district should establish a procedure were those approved 13615s be sent to the LC and ADS (Sandy Liska) ● Each instructor/supervisor should know how to electronically sign an electronic ● Instructors are not required to keep the 13615s at the site. However, there is nothing wrong with keeping them. ● The ADS will provide a list of certified volunteers in electronic form. ● Any Instructor/Supervisor can contact the ADS at any time for any assistance. Instructor Workshop

TAX-AIDE Certifications TRS Webinar October QUESTIONS???? Suggestions????