VITA connects low-to-moderate income residents in the Suncoast Region with trained volunteer tax preparers who file their tax returns for free. This is a great opportunity for you, your friends, family, or co-workers to help Suncoast households receive quality tax preparation services.
VOLUNTEER ROLES
- Tax Preparers - accurately prepare and e-file tax returns for over 19,000 working families.
- Greeters/Screeners - do not need tax knowledge! They welcome taxpayers, verify that they have all required documents and information, and ensure that they fill out the necessary intake forms.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
- Create a United Way Suncoast volunteer account or login to your existing account.
- Click the above link to create an account or login (a new tab will open) and then return to this page to continue with the steps below.
- Fill out the 2022 VITA Volunteer Interest Form.
- Link and Learn: create an account or login to your previous account. View the Link and Learn guide.
- TaxSlayer: create an account or login to your previous account. This is required for tax preparers only, not greeters/screeners. View the TaxSlayer guide.
- Complete the United Way Suncoast Orientation:
- Tax Preparer: register for a shift
- Greeter/Screener: (link will be added mid-late December)
- Access training materials in-person or electronically.
- In-person: materials will be available outside of the UWS offices in Sarasota and Tampa and can be picked up Monday - Friday between 8am-6pm.
- Sarasota: 1800 2nd Street, Suite 102, 34236, entrance is off of Osprey
- Tampa: 5201 W. Kennedy Blvd., Suite 600, 33609
- Electronically:
- In-person: materials will be available outside of the UWS offices in Sarasota and Tampa and can be picked up Monday - Friday between 8am-6pm.
- Based on skill level, use the below IRS Certification Trainings to prepare for the required exams.
- Pass the required IRS Certification exams. A score of 80% or above is required to be certified at the Advanced Level.
- The new tests will be available in Link and Learn in late November.
- Once you complete and pass your IRS Certification, electronically sign and save a PDF copy of your IRS Form 13615 Volunteer Standards of Conduct Agreement (not certificate) and email to projects@uwsuncoast.org.
- View the Link and Learn guide for instructions on where to locate the agreement.
- For the 2022 tax season, volunteers will be unable to register to prepare taxes or act as a greeter unless the IRS Form 13615 Volunteer Agreement has been submitted and added to their volunteer account.
- The PDF file MUST be saved in "Last Name, First Name VITA 2022" format in order to be accepted. (Example: Doe, John VITA 2022)
- Please allow 1-3 business days for our team to process. Volunteers will receive an email confirmation when they can begin registering for shifts.
- Volunteers will need to keep several copies of the volunteer agreement as they'll need to bring them to each site.
- Sign up for VITA opportunities.
- Once the above requirements have been met, you will be able to sign up for VITA opportunities. (link will be added once available)
NEW TO VITA?
Join one of our optional Learning Labs led by an IRS professional who can help answer your questions.
For questions on volunteering, email vita@uwsuncoast.org.
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