LAW-6227 SITE COORDINATOR (VITA)

A Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Site Coordinator (VITA Coordinator) will receive one credit at the end of the semester if the faculty VITA Manager for whom s/he works certifies that s/he has successfully performed a minimum of 120 hours of VITA program support during the semester. No more than two students may serve as VITA Coordinators in any tax year (note the credit would be available only in the Spring Semester). Students qualifying for credit would not be able to count any hours so worked for the pro bono service requirement. No student would be eligible to earn more than two VITA Coordinator credits during their tenure at Barry. The VITA Coordinator(s) must complete bi-weekly timesheets reflecting the number of hours worked during that period. The faculty VITA Manager must keep copies of these timesheets. At the end of the tax season, the faculty manger must certify that the VITA Coordinator has worked the requisite hours and that the service experience has been educationally valuable. To qualify as a VITA Coordinator, the student must have a minimum of 20 previous hours experience as a certified VITA volunteer. The VITA coordinator must also successfully complete all IRS training concerning tax changes for the present tax year and all present-year IRS instruction for completing and filing VITA returns (including electronic filing using the IRS Taxwise program). In addition, the VITA Coordinator must be qualified and certified by the IRS at the intermediate or advanced level for the present tax year. The faculty VITA manager will retain certificates documenting the VITA Coordinator146s qualifications. The VITA Coordinator will supervise all VITA Volunteers in the preparation of tax returns. The VITA Coordinator will research and respond to tax law issues identified by the VITA preparers in the course of their volunteer work. As needed, the VITA Coordinator will individually prepare the more complicated returns. The VITA Coordinator will perform quality control reviews on all returns prepared at the site and will transmit the returns electronically to the IRS. The Coordinator will also work with the Taxwise software representatives to overcome any customer service interface problems encountered at the site. The VITA Coordinator will ensure all VITA Volunteers are trained and certified before they are allowed to see clients. In addition to tax training, the VITA Coordinator will train all volunteers on procedures to protect client privacy and the importance of safeguarding personal information. The VITA Coordinator will handle client control issues and respond to client concerns151notifying the faculty VITA manager as necessary.

Credits

1

Distribution

Law