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VITA tax preparers provide free tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers
1. Register for your Tax site and training
Register for your training classes (See steps 3, 4 and 7)
2. REQUIRED: Watch the Introduction to Tax Law Webinar series before attending your first class.
Created by our partners at CASH MD, these videos introduce you to the fundamental concepts of tax law. It's important that you start here if you do not have prior tax knowledge.
LINK for 2026 season videos coming soon.
3. REQUIRED: Attend in-Person training in this order:
New Preparer 01: Tax Fundamentals and Additional Topics
New Preparer 02: Applied Skills and TaxSlayer Return Prep
New Preparer 03: Scenario Review and Certification Preparation
(complete step 5 before attending class 3)
4. Optional: Getting to Advanced training
If you are interesting in taking the Advanced exam (and being able to help more taxpayers), the Advanced Topics class covers additional topics covered on the Advanced test. Take this class AFTER the New Preparer classes.
5. REQUIRED IRS Trainings
Review this self-study material after attending your first in-person class and before attending your third in-person class "03: Scenario Review and Certification Preparation"
View both of the following IRS Training Modules
Pub. 5101, Intake/Interview & Quality Review Training
(Spanish link will be posted when updated).
OR video.
6. Continue working on your exam (started in the 3rd in-person class)
Plan to complete your exam by January 26.
Before finalizing and submitting your exam, review the important warnings in the second link below.
7. REQUIRED: Attend the State Overview, CTA Intake and Exit class
8. REQUIRED: Verify your identity during our drop in hours.
We can not let you volunteer and will not give you access to TaxSlayer software until you have completed this step.
CTA is required by the IRS to confirm that the identity of every volunteer. In the past this was done by the site coordinators but this created too much of a burden on them, and we were not able to always verify at the central office that the process was complete.
To complete the process:
1)Submit page two of your volunteer agreement via email to volunteer@communitytaxaiddc.org
Click for instructions to access the IRS Certification Portal and take your exam.
2) Show your photo id during the virtual office hours
The hours are:
January 5th-15th Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 2:00- 5:00 pm
January 19th- January 30th
Monday-Friday 2:00-5:00 pm
Email volunteer@communitytaxaiddc.org if you need a time outside of these hours.
Here is the zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89438431085?pwd=QjJ1WjZoSlRUTm1zOWFYQ2p2RTVJUT09
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