RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Tax Preparer 

  • Complete all IRC and IRS mandated training by January 1, 2027, including the Volunteer Standards of Conduct Training and Ethics; the Volunteer Standards of Conduct certification; the Intake/Interview & Quality Review certification; basic tax law, and advanced tax law. Estimated time commitment: 25 hours of self-study and training. 
  • Prepare and provide high-quality tax returns to all taxpayers. Interview taxpayers using Form 13614-C, Intake/Interview & 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 he/she is ultimately responsible for the information on the return. 

Quality Reviewer 

  • Conduct a quality review on all returns, using the Quality Review Checklist found in Publication 4012. Using the completed Form 13614-C and source documents, ensure all these items are consistent with the entries on the tax return.  
  • Advise the taxpayer that he/she is ultimately responsible for the information on the return before asking the taxpayer to sign Form 8879 or the tax return. Explain to the taxpayer that signing the return certifies that the taxpayer has examined the return, including all the forms and schedules for accuracy, and they are signing the return under penalty of perjury.  
  • Provide feedback to volunteer preparers, explaining identified errors captured during quality review and instructions for making the necessary corrections. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  

1.  The volunteer will learn about providing VITA tax preparation services to low-income community members. 

2. The volunteer will provide outreach to taxpayers on child savings accounts and other asset building products to maximize their refunds. 

REQUIREMENTS: 

  • High school diploma required. Students studying finance, accounting, or a related field preferred. 
  • Bilingual English-Spanish proficiency required 
  • No previous experience as a VITA volunteer required – IRC will provide the required training for the program per IRC’s and the IRS’s policies.  
  • Excellent customer service skills, including experience working with a varied client base 
  • Strong organizational skills and high level of attention to detail 
  • High level of computer literacy 
  • High level of comfort and effectiveness in working with multicultural and multidisciplinary teams 
  • Strong commitment to economic empowerment of low-income and underserved populations 

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

  • Ability to attend one four-hour shift per week, on either Friday or Saturday, between January 15 and April 15 2027 in the Wilmington area 
  • If working virtually, home internet and personal computer/laptop required. 
  • This position reports to the Economic Empowerment Supervisor and local Financial Capabilities Staff. 
  • This is an unpaid volunteer position. No financial compensation, including compensation for relocation, is available. 
  • Interested applicants should complete their application online and attach a resume and cover letter.  

Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.