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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) training sessions for volunteer certification

Individuals whom wish to volunteer preparing income tax returns at VITA sites need to be certified by the IRS.   Certification is obtained by passing the IRS test for VITA volunteers on basic tax law. 

Different paths to certification:

• You can attend an IRS training session where IRS personnel train you on basic tax law material.  At these training sessions, you will have the opportunity to have hands-on experience with the software that we will be using at the VITA sites (Taxwise).  Volunteers would then have the opportunity to take the test at the end of the session and get their score right away. Printed versions of training materials also available for volunteers. 

• You can study on your own by taking the course online at IRS Link and Learn Taxes: http://www.irs.gov/app/vita/index.jsp. VITA volunteers are only required to take and pass the “Basic” course.      You can create an account for yourself and take the test online and get your test score right away. 

• You can take the same basic course on tax law using IRS training materials for Tax year 2007 (actual books).  You can take an open book test and mail your test into the IRS for scoring. 

Once you have passed the test, you will be given an Identification Number from the IRS.  This number you will use when you prepare a return at a VITA site.

Review the list of VITA sites.  Get in touch with the contact person for the site and/or sites that you are interested in volunteering and we can get you scheduled right away.

For more information on VITA, please contact Linda Martinez, Community Liaison, Connecticut Association for Human Services

860-951-2212 ext 246   lmartinez@CAHS.org