Volunteer Tax Assistants
Insider Info
It was Benjamin Franklin who famously said, "...in this world nothing is
certain but death and taxes."
You can't get very far without paying taxes. From the purchases you make,
to the property you own, to the income you earn -- it's all taxed. And nothing's
worse than finding out you haven't paid enough taxes during the year and now
owe still more.
Tax preparation services are available to help people figure out what they
owe. These services help people find all the tax credits they qualify for,
returning as much money to their pockets as possible. However, the service
for a simple tax return can cost over $100, making it unaffordable for people
with low incomes.
Fortunately, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers free tax help to
people in need. Tax assistance programs include the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
program (VITA) for people with low to moderate incomes; Tax Counseling for
the Elderly (TCE) for people 60 years and older; and the American Association
of Retired Persons (AARP) Tax-Aide for people with low to middle incomes,
especially those over 60.
Community volunteers provide tax counseling through these and other organizations
and initiatives. They offer their advice at neighborhood centers, libraries,
schools, shopping malls, churches and other public locations across the country.
Volunteers don't have to have a background in accounting, but it helps
if they have completed their own tax returns in the past. Volunteers receive
training on tax law and tax software, and must pass a test to become certified.
A large number of volunteers are retirees. Others are college students
in accounting, tax or law programs.
"We work with professors. The accounting department or the tax department
[at the school] gives these students credits -- either credits for community
service or credits towards the class itself," says Alexa Lam, a senior relationship
tax consultant for the IRS-SPEC VITA program in Santa Clara County, California.
"And [the students] get live experience by getting hands-on interviewing,
answering questions and preparing income tax returns for the low-income taxpayers.
"The volunteers gain a special skill and knowledge in tax law when they
come to the training offered by the IRS or the Community-Based Organization
Partners with the IRS," she says. "We teach them how to interview the taxpayers
to gather information to complete the tax returns, and to answer technical
tax law questions using IRS publications and reference materials provided
through training. And they're gaining many skills -- for example, communication
skills, interviewing skills, time management skills."
So, in addition to helping people in need, volunteers gain valuable skills
and knowledge they can use in their careers. Besides that, there are some
people who just plain enjoy preparing other people's taxes.
"It's fun to do," says Clarence Mohr, a volunteer tax assistant. "It's
enjoyable doing taxes."
Danette Kobolt is a recent law school graduate. She volunteers 20 hours
per week during tax season. She even volunteered during the semester before
tax season -- and that was on top of full-time law school studies.
Kobolt is the national student director for the American Bar Association
VITA program. She oversees VITA's tax assistance sites at law schools throughout
the country.
She started out as a volunteer preparing income tax returns for clients.
Many of her clients were fellow students from her Michigan law school. She
became a site supervisor the following year, reviewing tax returns completed
by volunteers. And the year after that, she applied for the national student
director role. She interviewed for the volunteer position and got it.
"I have an accounting and finance background from undergrad, and I just
basically want to help people, and that's one way that I can give back to
the community," she says.
Kobolt says that she has gained self-confidence and leadership skills through
her volunteer roles. Also, tax law is a career path she is considering for
her future. But whether or not she pursues tax law, she believes her volunteer
work is valuable.
"No matter how high up the totem pole you get, giving back to the community
is always beneficial because it's giving back to where you came from," she
says. "It's just the satisfaction that I've helped someone sleep better at
night, knowing that they're not going to have the IRS knocking on their door."
Instead of playing golf during his retirement, Clarence Mohr volunteers
to help people with their taxes. "It's my golf game," he says.
Twelve years ago, Mohr volunteered at a summer program offering tax assistance
to low-income individuals. "I was surprised at how many people would come,"
he says.
When the program ended a few years later, Mohr knew there would be a lot
of people looking for tax help. So, he started up his own free tax assistance
program.
Both Mohr and his wife run a year-round drop-in program twice a week. Some
days they see as many as 40 clients. And when they're not at the drop-in program,
they're preparing taxes from home, following up with clients, and doing home
visits for people who can't get out. They even prepare taxes for inmates in
the prison system.
Many of their clients are homeless. Some of them had short-term jobs during
the year, but they're missing the paperwork they need to file their taxes.
So Mohr makes a three-way call with his client and the government, and gets
the information he needs over the phone.
"That is sort of more unique," he says. "Not many people are doing that.
But it's really required with the homeless people because often they don't
have the [necessary documents]."
James Helvick is a regional coordinator with the AARP Tax-Aide Program
near Badger, Iowa. He oversees the program's operation in seven states. "In
a sense, it's kind of like [being] a CEO of an area," he says.
Even with CEO-like responsibilities, Helvick's position is completely voluntary.
A retired schoolteacher, Helvick started out with Tax-Aide as a volunteer
tax counselor. He continues to provide free tax counseling during tax season.
"I just enjoy working with computers. I enjoy working with numbers. I'm
an old math teacher -- that's probably part of it," he explains. "And I personally
enjoy the interpersonal relations between the folks.
"It is intriguing, sometimes, the reaction that folks have when we tell
them they're getting refunds, or they're getting this or they're getting that,"
he says. "They think that we have done some marvelous job. ... The biggest
benefit, of course, is it doesn't cost them anything. ... That's something
most are very, very, very appreciative of."
How to Get Involved
To volunteer for the AARP Tax-Aide program, visit the AARP Tax-Aide's
website. The program offers training to new and returning volunteers. Volunteers
must pass a test to become certified.
Associations
Internal Revenue Service
Internet
:
http://www.irs.gov
Links
Internal Revenue Service - Tax Assistance Programs
Learn more about the IRS's free tax assistance programs
AARP Tax-Aide Program
Learn more about the program and apply to volunteer
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
Learn new tax skills and help individual and families
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