Volunteers
The IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals. The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns.
The soul of the VITA program is its volunteers, who we support in all the certification steps as well as during the tax preparation days.
As a VITA Volunteer with Buenas Finanzas, you may choose from several roles and responsibilities. Depending on what you would like to do, there is a role for you.
During tax season, we host tax days at partner sites, in shifts of around 4 hours.
Who can be a volunteer?
All of legal age, no previous experience is necessary.
Those participating in the IRS/Buenas Finanzas training, approximately 3-5 hours.
Those who take and pass the IRS certification.
They can commit between 4 and 40 hours of volunteering during the season.
What are the benefits of being our volunteer?
Learn new skills and/or improve your own skills.
Free education: basic or advanced level tax preparation training using IRS-provided tools and hands-on application.
Participate in a network with community members and community aid agencies.
Continuing Education (CE) credits for many professionals.
Volunteer roles
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Description: Buenas Finanzas provides services and programs for different needs. Our ambassador would provide information to our VITA Latino clients, answer questions, and support the clients that may require any of our other services.
Responsibilities: Approach and answer questions from VITA Latino clients while they wait or before they leave and provide information about Buenas Finanzas.
Requirements: Able to communicate in English and Spanish. Buenas Finanzas/CWC background check.
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Description: Most of our clients are Spanish speakers and some volunteers are English speakers, the interpreters can use their language skills to facilitate communication during the tax interview and preparation process. Specific financial vocabulary is not necessary, a Spanish/English dictionary is recommended.
Responsibilities: Translate between Spanish and English with clients and tax preparers.
Requirements: Be able to communicate in English and Spanish. Buenas Finanzas/CWC background check.
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Description: In a VITA Latino site, we strive to provide the best attention possible to all our clients, and that starts from the first contact, which is the job of the greeter. The greeter is the first person that talks to the client, verifies their appointment, provides, and explains the forms the clients must complete before being seen by a tax preparer.
Responsibilities: Greet clients, provide and briefly explain how to complete the form 13614-C.
Requirements: Fluent in English and Spanish. IRS exams required: Volunteer Standards of Conduct and Intake/Interview and Quality Review.
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Description: The starting point of tax preparation, a basic preparer reviews the form 13614-C with the client and asks probing questions. Once everything is clear, they proceed to use Taxslayer software to prepare basic taxes (clients with W2). A basic preparer will also do quality review for other basic preparations as needed.
Responsibilities: Interview and verify client information, use Taxslayer to prepare basic taxes
Requirements: IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam, IRS Intake/Interview and Quality Review Exam, IRS Basic exam.
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Description: All activities of the Basic preparer plus Advanced tax preparation (self-employed clients and other special situations).
Responsibilities: Interview and verify client information, use Taxslayer to prepare advanced taxes.
Requirements: IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam, IRS Intake/Interview, and Quality Review Exam, IRS Advanced exam.
