Location: In-person/Remote/Hybrid - Sacramento, CA
Duration: Mid-January to April 15, 2027, 3-15 hours/week

SCOPE OF WORK: 

Under the supervision of the Tax Site Coordinator and Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) Program Manager, Volunteer Tax Preparers will provide free, professional tax preparation services for low-income clients through IRC’s National Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The program is offering services to clients in the IRC office located in Sacramento, CA. The IRC’s goal is to assist 150 clients in preparing their returns in a safe, culturally and linguistically appropriate manner. 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES: General responsibilities could include, but are not limited to the following: 

Tax Preparation

  • Complete all IRC and IRS mandated trainings by January 8, 2027, including the Volunteer Standards of Conduct Training and Ethics; the Volunteer Standards of Conduct certification; the Intake/Interview & Quality Review certification; and the OPI Language Line certification (for over-the-phone interpretation);
  • Gain Basic certification to prepare taxes, however, gaining Advanced certification is preferred. To help prepare more complicated returns, certification is needed at the Circular 230, Advanced, Military, Health Savings Accounts, Puerto Rico, Foreign Student, or International tax law levels. Prepare only returns that are within your certification level(s) and within the scope of the VITA/TCE Programs;
  • 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 Review

  • Volunteers who serve as quality reviewers must also hold the Advanced Preparation certification;
  • 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. 

REQUIREMENTS:  

  • High school diploma required.  Students studying finance, accounting, or a related field, preferred;
  • 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 diverse 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 multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams;
  • Strong commitment to economic empowerment of low-income and underserved populations. 

Standard of Professional Conduct 

The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

TO APPLY: 

Complete an online application at this link. Please submit a resume and cover letter (including desired position, availability and motivation for applying). You will be contacted for a phone/virtual screening and next steps. All volunteer and internships are part-time, unpaid positions.