1. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Front of House Manager and Interview Specialist Training

2. Agenda Introductions VITA Overview Volunteer Roles
Other services Available
Volunteer Roles
Tax Preparation Methods
Role of the Greeter
Role of the Interview Specialist
De-Escalation Techniques

3. Let’s introduce ourselves
What brought you to United Way? What interests you about VITA?

4. VITA Volunteer Roles Greeter/Front of House Manager
Interview Specialist
Tax Preparer
Quality Reviewer
Site Coordinator
Interpreter

5. Tax Preparation Models
In-person preparation
Valet VITA
Free self-preparation software
Turbo Tax Freedom Edition
My Free Taxes (H&R Block)

6. Front of house manager
Happy lobby, happy clients!

7. Role of Front of House Manager
Core responsibilities include…
Opening the site
Ensure taxpayers are ready to meet with a preparer (see page 8)
Taxpayer and spouse (if applicable) have Photo IDs
Social Security Cards
Tax documents
Completed intake sheet
Placement of taxpayers with preparers (see page 11)
Keep an eye out for certification requirements
Provide taxpayers unable to be seen with alternatives (see pages 14, 45)
Keeping client folders stocked/re-stocked

8. Opening the Site Arrive ~20-30 minutes before site open
Sign in as a volunteer; make sure to put on your name tag
Provide taxpayers in waiting area with intake sheets, pens, clipboards (if necessary)
Ensure all taxpayers have necessary documents for preparation
Ensure all taxpayers are in scope
Provide alternatives to clients who can’t be seen

9. Opening the site
It is more than likely that several people will be waiting in line well before your site opens. Clients often informally organize themselves and have their own sign-in sheet. Some clients are also return visitors and will know the process and your role.
Set up the greeter stand, and invite clients to provide their sign-in sheet to transfer to your own
Call clients to the greeter stand in order; make sure they have IDs and social security cards
Provide clients with a pen and intake sheet; ask them to see you when they’re done

10. The Intake Sheet
The intake sheet has four pages and contains much of the information tax prepares need to complete the return.
This sheet is very dense. Clients might get confused. You’re there to help them!

11. A “completed” intake sheet
Ensure the intake sheet is filled out completely
Consult with the taxpayer to resolve any boxes marked “unsure” to either “yes” or “no”
Note: the majority of boxes will be checked “no.”
For each box checked “yes,” ask if they have the appropriate document, indicated in parentheticals to the right.
If they are missing documents, let them know what they need and ask them to come back another day.
Once this is complete, have them sign the consent form on the fourth page.
The taxpayer is now ready to be seen by a preparer.

12. Happy lobby, happy clients!
A great front of house manager ensures that clients are…
Aware of what they need for a successful preparation experience.
Confident in the service they are about to receive.
Adequately informed of the preparation process.
Getting the most out of their visit to a VITA site.
You can do it all!

13. Clients out of Scope (p.10)
Some clients are out of scope for our program. Refer to your volunteer handbook for a complete list. The most common situations are…
Married filing separately
Rental Income
Businesses with non-cash inventory and/or those operating at a loss
Bankruptcy
For clients out of scope, recommend alternatives like free online self-prep and other free tax assistance programs in Tucson. (p.14, 45)

14. Alternatives for clients
In the majority of cases, we will not be able to see all walk-in clients seeking preparation services. Your site coordinator will provide you with their best estimate. For clients unable to be seen…
Ask if they’d like to use our Valet Service
Note: This is their best means of taking care of this annual chore the same day they arrive at the site.
Inform them of other days of operation and other VITA sites
Recommend other free tax assistance programs (Pio Decimo, AARP)
Provide URLs to free online self-prep

15. Clients can be grouchy (but like, can’t we all?) (p.41-44)
If you have a client who is a little frosty about wait times or not being seen…
Don’t take it personally; taxes are a high-anxiety chore for lots of our clients
Assure them we’re doing the best we can to see as many people as possible; let them know it takes about an hour to prepare a return
Remind them of the alternatives available
However, if a client escalates to a level that makes you uncomfortable…
Let the client know you’ll need to inform your site coordinator
The site coordinator can ask people to leave, or call authorities if necessary
Staff are always on call.

16. Interview specialist
Making it happen for more clients

17. Valet is a great option for…
People who won’t be seen for in-person preparation.
People who are later in line and don’t want to wait.
People who have very simple… OR! very complex returns.
Site coordinators will have their own preferences.
People who are filing for multiple years.
Our goal is to serve as many clients as possible. Valet VITA helps us do this.

18. Valet is not great for…
People without addresses or limited phone access.
Not being able to contact taxpayers can be a real barrier in completing return preparations.
People for whom speed is their highest priority.
Taxpayers should be able to wait at least one week for their return to be filed.
We are working to make the return preparation process as quick as possible, but the process can be delayed.
People who are missing documents.
They are welcome to return with all their documents, but we won’t scan anything until all necessary documents are presented.

19. The steps of valet (p.18-19) Intake Interview
Document Scanning and Transmission
Explanation of the Process
Preparation of Return
Quality Review Call
Return Pickup and E-File
Interview Specialists perform steps 1-3.

20. The steps of valet (p.18-20) Intake Interview
Document Scanning and Transmission
Explanation of the Process
Preparation of Return
Quality Review Call
Return Pickup and E-File
Interview Specialists perform steps 1-3.

21. A thorough intake

22. Consent to Scan
Let the client know the Valet process requires us to scan their documents.
Let them know this form gives us permission to do that.
The front has been pre-filled by United Way.
The taxpayer and spouse (if applicable) fill out the back side.

23. Start with the cover sheet
Note the intake site and ask the client if they would like to pick up a hard copy of their return, or receive an encrypted .
Ask for two contact phone numbers and an address; the more they provide, the better.
Carefully transcribe the names and SSNs of clients exactly how they appear on social security cards.
The E-File process matches the names on the returns we prepare with the Social Security Database. Mismatches are the most common cause of rejects.
Carefully copy birth dates and banking information (page 2), then have the client check for errors an initial once any revisions have been made.

24. Review the intake sheet
Work with the taxpayer to resolve any unanswered or “unsure” questions.
Make sure that for every box marked “yes,” they have the associated document.
If they are missing any documents, complete the interview, give them the forms you filled out together, and ask them to come back to have their documents scanned when they have the final form.
This might seem convoluted, but wrangling missing forms can add weeks to the preparation process.
Be sure to note responses to dependency qualification and healthcare coverage questions in the gray boxes.

25. Complete the Questionnaire (if applicable)
If a taxpayer’s information on their intake sheet suggests they might be eligible for certain credits, collect information on the questionnaire.
Completing this form might not be necessary for many clients.

26. Prepare to scan
Ask the client to sign the consent form giving us permission to scan their documents; note this on the cover sheet.
Review the intake sheet a final time to ensure completeness and determine the necessary certification; note this on the cover sheet.
Tear the Intake Sheet in half on the long side.
Stack the documents in as orderly a pile as possible.
Scanner does front and back at once; it might take a few tries.
The upload process automated for your convenience!

27. 1stinital&lastname_Site_cert
See p. 7 for site abbreviations and p. 20 for certification abbreviations.

28. Sample file names RCheeseman_AG_A PSeebach-York_PC_HSA KBriggs_GJC_B
Taxpayer name: Rachel Cheeseman
Intake Site: Abounding Grace
Certification: Advanced
PSeebach-York_PC_HSA
Taxpayer Name: Pia Seebach-York
Intake Site: County Mobile Valet
Certification: HSA
KBriggs_GJC_B
Taxpayer Name: Ken Briggs
Intake Site: Goodwill Job Connection
Certification: Basic

29. Explain the process
What clients need to know

30. What clients need to know… (p.28)
We might need to call them with follow-up questions or to request supplemental documents; we cannot move forward and preparing their returns if we can’t reach them.
This is the most important; this is where return preparation is most commonly and most extensively delayed.
Clients will be notified of the progress of their preparation with occasional text messages and/or s form United Way.
We will need to speak with them on the phone to do a Quality Review call; if they do not answer this call, we cannot move forward in preparing to file their return.
If they’ve elected to pick up their return, we cannot file their return until they have picked up their return and signed final paperwork.
If they’ve elected to receive encrypted , we cannot fil their return until they’ve e- signed their Docusign packet.

31. Questions?
Let’s role play!