4 Certification - Arizona AARP Tax-Aide

Certifications Policy Manual - OneSupport [General Program Management][General] TAX-AIDE

TAX-AIDE

Volunteers must annually ● Attend Volunteer Site Policies and Procedures

presentation/training by Tax-Aide including the AARP Foundation Standards of Professionalism and Incident Reporting Protocol ● Attend IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct

training ● Pass the IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct

test with at least 80% correct answers ● Sign the Volunteer Agreement (IRS form 13615) ● Attend Quality review presentation TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Counselors, ERO, Instructors, Training Coordinators, Training Specialist ● As a minimum, pass a technical tax law

test at the advanced level with a score of 80% or better to certify to prepare or quality review tax returns. ● Separate optional training material and

tests will remain for:, Health Savings Accounts, and Military Certification TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Counselors are required to complete: ● Hands-on training in TaxWise, and satisfactorily

complete a minimum number of practice returns in the course of training as defined by the SC and implemented by the TRS  For 2014 Tax Season all Arizona counselors are required to prepare the following 4 Practice Problems including ACA Addenda. Available in the OneSupport Help Center [Tax Training]  

Clark, Scott, Meadows and Holmes.

SCs may waive this requirement in extraordinary circumstances

TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Instructor Certification ● Instructors must be certified for the tax

year that corresponds with the tax law being taught in volunteer training classes ● If prior year tax law and software is being

used in class, the Instructor must have been certified for that prior year ● Instructors must successfully complete

current year certification prior to training volunteers for current year tax preparation TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Volunteer Agreement forms ● Must show the tests passed and be signed by

an Approving Official (Instructor or other certified designee)

● Approving Official must be satisfied of the

identity of the volunteer either through previous personal contact or by examining a government issued photo identification

● Certification tests must be graded or

reviewed and approved by Instructors who are certified for the current tax year. The state SPEC office may be contacted to certify the TRS

TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Summary from the ADS ● Instructor/supervisors have to sign as approving officials. ● Make sure all applicable blocks on the 13615 are checked, if

fulfilled.

● Each district should establish a procedure were those

approved 13615s be sent to the LC and ADS (Sandy Liska)

● Each instructor/supervisor should know how to

electronically sign an electronic 13615.

● Instructors are not required to keep the 13615s at the site.

However, there is nothing wrong with keeping them.

● The ADS will provide a list of certified volunteers in

electronic form.

● Any Instructor/Supervisor can contact the ADS at any time

for any assistance.

TAX-AIDE

Instructor Workshop - 2014

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Certifications

QUESTIONS???? Suggestions????

TAX-AIDE

TRS Webinar October 2014

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