CA$H GREATER PORTLAND VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTIONS (TAX YEAR 2011)
Position Title: CA$H Tax Site Volunteer Coach
General Summary/Purpose
CA$H Greater Portland, managed by United Way of Greater Portland, is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts helping families and individuals achieve long term financial stability by offering free tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, bringing financial education tools to the community, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money. At CA$H free tax preparation sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers prepare and file federal and state income taxes for free—helping clients avoid high-priced income tax filing fees and Refund Anticipation Loans. Participants often learn that they qualify for tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can put thousands of dollars back into their pockets. CA$H Coaches help tax site clients with the intake process, as well as help make them become aware of local programs and services that can help them make the most of their money.
Essential Job Functions
• Provide high-quality assistance to all tax site clients, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability, while maintaining the highest-level of client confidentiality.
• Become familiar with and keep up-to-date on CA$H Coach resources and tax site policies provided by Site Coordinator and Project Director.
• Interview tax site clients to collect relevant income tax paperwork, and record information regarding contact and household demographic information and feedback regarding personal financial outlook and tax site experience.
• Using resources provided at the tax site, refer clients to programs and services based on their financial goals and needs.
• Ensure client’s paperwork is complete and accurate prior to seeing a volunteer tax preparer.
• Agree to accept no compensation of any kind for volunteer services provided.
Skills / Experience / Training Required
• Provide a minimum of five shifts (24 hours) at CA$H Tax Sites from January - March 2011. Transportation is not provided.
• Attend a CA$H Coach training workshop in January, and become familiar with resources listed on www.cashgp.org.
• Comfortable working with the public in a friendly, helpful and supportive manner.
• Willingness to hold one-on-one conversations with tax site clients, and strong communication skills to successfully complete client interviews (interview training skills provided).
• Promotes and advocates mission of CA$H Greater Portland through word-of-mouth, outreach activities and volunteer recruitment.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands
• Ability to sit at a table for one hour increments.
Position Title: CA$H Tax Site Volunteer Tax Preparer
General Summary/Purpose
CA$H Greater Portland, managed by United Way of Greater Portland, is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts helping families and individuals achieve long term financial stability by offering free tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, bringing financial education tools to the community, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money. At CA$H free tax preparation sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers prepare and file federal and state income taxes for free—helping clients avoid high-priced income tax filing fees and Refund Anticipation Loans. Participants often learn that they qualify for tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can put thousands of dollars back into their pockets. CA$H Coaches help tax site clients with the intake process, as well as help make them become aware of local programs and services that can help them make the most of their money.
Essential Job Functions
• Provide high-quality assistance to all tax site clients, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability, while maintaining the highest-level of client confidentiality.
• Successfully certify in the IRS Link & Learn Standards of Conduct, and tax law / electronic filing training.
• Keep up-to-date on tax law guidelines and tax site policies provided by Site Coordinator and Project Director.
• Interview tax site clients to collect relevant information regarding income, deductions and allowable credits.
• Prepare federal and state income tax returns based on information provided by taxpayer using program’s electronic filing software procedures and guidelines.
• Complete only those tax returns within scope of certification, referring those beyond training to Site Coordinator.
• Explain prepared tax return to every client, ensuring the return is complete, accurate, and receives an on-site Quality Review.
• Obtain and retain copies of any relevant tax statements and client signature, providing a copy of the completed return to client prior to departure.
• Agree to accept no compensation of any kind for volunteer services provided.
Skills / Experience / Training Required
• Dependably provide a minimum of five shifts (24 hours) at CA$H Tax Sites from January - March 2011. Transportation is not provided.
• Study and achieve IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) “Basic” tax preparer certification, recertifying status annually. All training is free. Volunteer agreement must be signed and accompanied by VITA Certificate. Intermediate and Advanced certification encouraged.
• Attend and successfully complete tasks at CA$H tax preparer training workshops (tax law and electronic filing).
• Basic computer skills and navigation for inputting client income tax information.
• Comfortable working with the public in a friendly, helpful and supportive manner.
• Willingness to hold one-on-one conversations with tax site clients, and strong communication skills to successfully complete client interviews (interview training skills provided).
• Promotes and advocates mission of CA$H Greater Portland through word-of-mouth, outreach activities and volunteer recruitment.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands
• Ability to sit at a computer station for one-hour increments.
• Regularly uses computer keyboards requiring eye-hand coordination and finger dexterity.
Position Title: CA$H Tax Site Volunteer Interpreter
General Summary/Purpose
CA$H Greater Portland, managed by United Way of Greater Portland, is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts helping families and individuals achieve long term financial stability by offering free tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, bringing financial education tools to the community, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money. At CA$H free tax preparation sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers prepare and file federal and state income taxes for free—helping clients avoid high-priced income tax filing fees and Refund Anticipation Loans. Participants often learn that they qualify for tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can put thousands of dollars back into their pockets. CA$H Coaches help tax site clients with the intake process, as well as help make them become aware of local programs and services that can help them make the most of their money. CA$H Coaches help tax site clients with the intake process, as well as help make them become aware of local programs and services that can help them make the most of their money. CA$H Interpreters will assist clients as they navigate through the tax site, providing a clear channel of communication between volunteers, and assisting with the translation of tax site and IRS materials.
Essential Job Functions
• Provide high-quality assistance to all tax site clients, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability, while maintaining the highest-level of client confidentiality.
• Assures that every client understands CA$H’s mission, resources, and tax site policies, maintaining that language is not an obstacle to receiving superior service.
• Assist CA$H Coaches and Tax Preparers as they interview clients to collect accurate and complete information for income tax preparation and filing, clarifying written and spoken information, and helping to contact client if follow-up is necessary.
Skills / Experience / Training Required
• Comfortable working with the public in a friendly, helpful and supportive manner.
• Willingness to hold one-on-one conversations with tax site clients
• Strong communication skills to successfully complete client interviews.
• Promotes and advocates mission of CA$H Greater Portland through word-of-mouth, outreach activities and volunteer recruitment.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands
• Ability to sit at a table for one-hour increments.
Position Title: CA$H Tax Site Volunteer Scheduler
General Summary/Purpose
CA$H Greater Portland, managed by United Way of Greater Portland, is a partnership of community leaders and industry experts helping families and individuals achieve long term financial stability by offering free tax preparation to qualified filers during tax season, bringing financial education tools to the community, and educating hard-working residents about how they can make the most of their money. At CA$H free tax preparation sites, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers prepare and file federal and state income taxes for free—helping clients avoid high-priced income tax filing fees and Refund Anticipation Loans. Participants often learn that they qualify for tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can put thousands of dollars back into their pockets. CA$H Coaches help tax site clients with the intake process, as well as help make them become aware of local programs and services that can help them make the most of their money. CA$H Schedulers will be the first point of contact for clients: volunteers will screen callers for eligibility, schedule tax site appointments, and answer event logistical questions.
Essential Job Functions
• Provide high-quality assistance to all tax site clients, regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin or disability, while maintaining the highest-level of client confidentiality.
• Answer phone, ask client questions from interview sheet, enter client information into electronic spreadsheet, and answer client questions, referring them to additional resources as necessary.
• Keep site coordinator and project director aware of progress and outstanding questions or concerns.
Skills / Experience / Training Required
• Comfortable working with the public in a friendly, helpful and supportive manner.
• Willingness to hold one-on-one conversations with the public.
• Strong communication skills to successfully schedule tax site appointment.
• Promotes and advocates mission of CA$H Greater Portland through word-of-mouth, outreach activities and volunteer recruitment.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands
• Ability to sit at a computer station for one-hour increments.
• Regularly uses computer keyboards requiring eye-hand coordination and finger dexterity.