About
We are excited to have you as a VITA Volunteer for the 2026 tax season. In order to get started, you will need to complete the certifications as a self-study method (online).
You MUST create a new online account to access the IRS VITA/TCE Central Site – a one-stop shop for frequently used tools, certification tests, training PDFs, practice scenarios, and more!
Please follow the steps below to become a VITA Certified Tax Preparer! Once you’ve completed your exams, please click on the “View Certificate" button, save it as a PDF. You will then select "Add Impact" and share copy of your certificate when prompted.
You will not be able to attend a VITA site unless these documents have been submitted.
If you have any questions, please email Megan Brincks (megan.brincks@unitedwayseia.org)
Available Volunteer Positions & Descriptions:
- Intake Specialists: Intake Specialists assist clients with the initial intake interview. The intake interview identifies the scope of the tax return that needs to be completed by thoroughly reviewing the client’s Intake Form 13614-C and ensuring that all necessary tax documents are available for the appointment to take place. Required certification exams:
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review
- Basic or Advanced Tax Law
- Designated Peer-to-Peer Quality Reviewer: Quality reviewers conduct quality reviews on all tax returns prepared at the site to ensure every taxpayer visiting the site receives top-quality service and that the tax returns are error-free. SPEC recommends that quality reviewers be experienced in tax law application. Required certification exams:
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review
- Basic or Advanced Tax Law
- Tax Preparer: The returns we file are simple. As a tax preparer, you will enter data into the software to prepare the tax return. You can certify as a Basic Preparer to prepare simple returns, or you can certify as an Advanced Preparer to assist with more complex returns, such as Schedule C.
- Volunteer Standards of Conduct
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review
- Basic or Advanced Tax Law
- Volunteer Interpreter: Volunteer Interpreters provide specialized services to deaf/hard-of-hearing and/or non-English speaking taxpayers.
- New volunteer interpreters must complete the Volunteer Standards of Conduct (VSC) Training. Returning volunteers are encouraged to review the VSC Training as a refresher.
- All VITA/TCE volunteers must pass the VSC certification test. Basic tax training and certification is available but not required.
- Translate between volunteer greeter, screener, coordinator, preparer, quality reviewer, and taxpayer
Positions
0 Remaining
Registration
Registration Closed
Registration Closes
Any time before each milestone ends or when space runs out.
Age Limit
16 and up
Requirements
Training
Requirement Details
All VITA/TCE volunteers must pass the following certification tests with a score of 80% or higher.
- Site Coordinator (if volunteering for this role)
- Volunteers Standard of Conduct – Ethics Training
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review Training
- Either Basic tax law or Advanced Tax Law (adv. Test is a stand-alone test.. There’s no requirement to pass the Basic test first)
GivePulse
10 Positions Filled
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0 Impacts
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0 Hours
Project Plan
Create your account: https://linklearncertification.com/
Instructions for accessing Link and Learn: View/Download
Once you have created an account, SAVE your username and password someplace you can easily access later. Next, you want to DOWNLOAD the following training materials & resources:
- Publication 6744 – VITA/TCE Volunteer Assister’s Test - VITA Volunteer Test/Retest booklet
- United Way VITA Training Resources - TRAINING-ENGLISH
- Publication 4012 – VITA/TCE Volunteer Resource Guide - This volunteer resource guide will assist you in completing a tax return using TaxSlayer.
- Publication 4491 – VITA/TCE Volunteer Training Guide - IRS training guide. Use this publication to read about tax law topics in detail.
UPDATE RE: IRS 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA)
Background: The Form 6744 VITA/TCE Volunteer Test/Retest questions are based on pre-OBBBA tax law. Therefore, all test answers are also based on pre-OBBBA tax law in effect at the time. This may cause volunteers to make inadvertent errors when completing certification tests.
Message for volunteers: Volunteers should base their certification test/retest answers using the tax law content shown in the lessons of the Publication 4491 and Publication 4012. Volunteers should NOT base their test/retest answers on OBBBA tax law changes. The Link & Learn Taxes Certification site is programmed for pre-OBBBA tax law answers only.
All VITA/TCE volunteers must pass the following certification tests with a score of 80% or higher.
- Site Coordinator (only take if you want to serve as a Site Coordinator)
- Volunteers Standard of Conduct – Ethics Training
- Intake/Interview and Quality Review Training
- Either Basic tax law or Advanced Tax Law (adv. Test is a stand-alone test. There’s no requirement to pass the Basic test first)
To complete the test questions scenario questions provided in p6744, you will need to use the TaxSlayer Practice Lab
· TaxSlayer Practice Lab website: https://vita.taxslayerpro.com/IRSTraining/en/Account/Access
· This is a 2-step login process:
- The first password is universal: TRAINPROWEB (all caps)
- The next window will be for you to create a new account (SAVE this username and password someplace you can easily access later)
- use SIDN: S45218819
Use p4012 to search for the answers to the questions in p6744. It’s recommended that you write down your answers before entering them online into Link and Learn.
Attached are study guides to help you guide you where to look for your answers to the test questions in p6744.
Additional Study Resources:
1) This website provides study tools and videos to help VITA volunteers with their training. https://www.vitaresources.net/
Once you are confident in your answers to all three tests, you will log back in/return to the VITA/TCE Central- Link & Learn website home page, click on Certifications/Re-Tests, select the appropriate test, and enter your responses to each test. Make sure to click submit. You must score an 80% or higher to pass.
Congratulations! Please confirm your completion of the certification by doing the following:
- Select "Add Impact"
- Change "Impact Type" to "Time"
- Add start and end date, and approximately how much time it took you to complete the training, and click "Next"
- Share Impact with groups, if none, then click next
- Select "Add file" and upload your certificate
- Select "Add Impact"
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