VITA Tax Clinic Volunteer

The tax clinic is a vital community resource offering an accessible alternative to costly and predatory tax services operating since 2002. The tax clinic provides free, high-quality tax preparation to low- and moderate-income individuals across the state of Virginia. Volunteering at the tax clinic helps taxpayers avoid predatory tax preparers, access the refunds they’ve earned, and build lasting financial stability for families. A few hours a week can create ripple effects that strengthen an entire community.

Taxes may not sound glamourous but at TAP’s Tax Clinic, they’re a powerful tool for change. The more volunteers we can recruit, the more individuals and families we can serve in Virginia. We offer a fun & valued team environment with snacks and plenty of coffee! Every hour you donate as a volunteer translates directly into accurate tax returns, crucial refunds, and financial stability for families who need it most.

The goal of the VITA program and TAP Tax Clinic is to help families with income less than $69,000 claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, as well as promote financial empowerment through education and coaching.

VITA Volunteers are trained by TAP, certified to serve by the IRS, and typically set their own schedules. Additionally, there are a variety of flexible volunteer opportunities including appointment takers, greeters, intake specialists, tax preparers, and quality reviewers. Join the only VITA hub in the area!

For more information, or to attend a Volunteer Information Session contact Teffany Henderson, Director of Financial Services at teffany.henderson@nulltapintohope.org.

Volunteer Descriptions

Greeter

This position is important to maintain efficacy at the tax clinic and to ensure individuals are assisted, as scheduled. This position will be highly needed on Walk-In Wednesdays and Super Saturdays.

Special Requirements:

    • Attend Tax Volunteer Orientation in January 2026 (Date TBD)
    • Complete Volunteer Standards of Conduct training online or in-person (one hour) and pass Volunteer Standards of Conduct test
    • Complete Intake/Interview & Quality Review Training online or in-person (one hour) and pass test

    Duties:

    • Sign in and Sign Out to record volunteer hours;
    • Welcome clients to the VITA site;
    • Confirm taxpayer has an appointment;
    • Verify taxpayer has photo ID, social security cards, all tax documents and if applicable, bank routing and account numbers;
    • Verify taxpayer has photo ID, social security cards, all tax documents and if applicable, bank routing and account numbers;
    • Provide intake paperwork and ensure paperwork is complete in a timely manner, and before meeting with Certified Volunteer Intake Specialist;
    • Maintain flow of clients in lobby between paperwork and directing them to a Certified Volunteer (Unless you are certified, you cannot answer any IRS related tax questions; however, you are able to answer any TAP intake questions);
    • Collect contact information for individuals who need to schedule an appointment;
    • Track data necessary for reports on services provided;
    • Collect TAP customer satisfaction surveys;
    • After verifying eligibility for services—assist walk-ins with scheduling appointment.

    Dates and times available:

    • Tax Clinic operations: January 22, 2026 through April 15, 2026
    • Training will be held in early-January 2026
    • Opportunity available in three-hour shifts (Shifts are determined based on volunteer availability)

    Certified Volunteer Intake Specialist

    This position is important to ensure every taxpayer is interviewed to collect necessary documentation for tax preparation.

    Special Requirements:

    • Attend Tax Volunteer Orientation in January 2026 (Date TBD)
    • Complete Volunteer Standards of Conduct training online or in-person (one hour) and pass Volunteer Standards of Conduct test
    • Complete IRS tax law training and tax preparation system training (12+ hours both online (at your own pace) or in-person (as scheduled) prior to certification deadline mid-January
    • Certify at BASIC level prior to certification deadline (January 13, 2026)

    Duties:

    • Follow all IRS regulations
    • Verify taxpayer identity
    • Screen taxpayer for service eligibility
    • Complete intake process through interviewing taxpayer and collecting required documentation (taxpayer photo ID, social security cards, tax documents and if applicable, bank routing and account numbers)
    • Confirm taxpayer forms are complete, make legible copies of all documents and create taxpayer files for preparation
    • Be able to use IRS resources for tax related questions (if any) from individual
    • Ensure appointments stay on-time

    Dates and times available:

    • Tax Clinic Operations: January 22, 2026 through April 15, 2026
    • Online tax law training begins December 1 (or as released by the IRS)
    • Opportunity available in three-hour shifts (Shifts are determined based on volunteer availability)
    • IRS training is provided for this position—completely online

    Certified Volunteer Tax Preparer

    This position is important to meet the demand of free tax preparation in the community. You should be comfortable with data entry, reviewing documents before entering data, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

    Special Requirements:

    • This position does not require direct client interaction
    • Attend Tax Volunteer Orientation in January 2026 (Date TBD)
    • Complete Volunteer Standards of Conduct training online or in-person (one hour) and pass Volunteer Standards of Conduct test
    • Complete Intake/Interview & Quality Review Training online or in-person (one hour) and pass test
    • Complete IRS tax law training and tax preparation system training (12+ hours—training is provided online (at your own pace) or in-person (as scheduled)
    • Certify at BASIC level prior to certification deadline (January 13, 2026)

    Duties:

    • Sign in and Sign Out to record volunteer hours
    • Review Quality Alert Notebook for Tax Law updates
    • Follow all IRS regulations and requirements
    • Prior to beginning the tax preparation process, verify taxpayer file contains all required documentation and taxpayer is income-eligible
    • Prepare taxpayer federal and state tax returns using IRS system—TaxSlayer—by entering taxpayer data from documentation and IRS Intake forms
    • Use only “IRS resources” for tax-related questions
    • Keep all taxpayer documentation confidential and safe in each Taxpayer Envelope

    Dates and times available:

    • Tax Clinic Operations: January 22, 2026 through April 15, 2026
    • Online tax law training begins December 1 (or as released by the IRS)
    • Opportunity available in three-hour shifts (Shifts are determined based on volunteer availability)

    NOTE: All tax returns are double-checked for accuracy (by Financial Services Director or VITA Quality Reviewer) prior to printing the taxpayer’s tax return. The taxpayer will review each printed tax return and sign. A signed tax return gives TAP’s Site Director permission to E-FILE the tax return to the IRS.

    Certified Volunteer Quality Reviewer

    This position is important to ensure every tax return is error-free and approved by the taxpayer with signature.

    Special Requirements:

    • Attend Tax Volunteer Orientation in January 2026 (Date TBD)
    • Complete Volunteer Standards of Conduct training online or in-person (one hour) and pass Volunteer Standards of Conduct test
    • Complete IRS tax law training and tax preparation system training (12+ hours both online (at your own pace) or in-person (as scheduled) prior to certification deadline mid-January
    • Certify at BASIC level prior to certification deadline (January 13, 2026)

    Duties:

    • Follow all IRS regulations
    • Verify taxpayer identity
    • Be able to use IRS resources for tax related questions (if any) from individual
    • Ensure appointments stay on-time
    • Complete the Quality Review process with the client (taxpayer) by reviewing the tax return for errors and if approved—ensuring taxpayer signs all forms to enable the electronic filing process of both federal and state tax returns.
    • IRS training is provided for this position—completely online

    Dates and times available:

    • · Tax Clinic Operations: January 22, 2026 through April 15, 2026
    • · Online tax law training begins December 1 (or as released by the IRS)
    • · Opportunity available in three-hour shifts (Shifts are determined based on volunteer availability)

    For more info about the training and requirements to be a TAP VITA Tax Clinic Volunteer please contact Teffany Henderson at teffany.henderson@nulltapintohope.org