Start-of-Tax TY2025 Season

Announcements - Updated 12/21/2025

Tax Law Highlights Guide

• New Tax Law Highlights Guide: Excellent NTTC resource to help counselors explain the new tax laws to Taxpayers. Bookmark on your Chromebook.

Taxpayer Intake Tax Packet - Suggestions

Preparing a Tax Prep packet for taxpayers in advance containing all the forms they are required to fill out inside a Taxpayer envelope can help make the initial intake process much faster. Some content to make available might include the following:

• New Tax Law Highlights for Taxpayers

  • A brief explanation (cheat sheet) of each new tax law and exactly how they might affect taxpayers

• New OBBB Act related Worksheets (Fillable)

  • Qualified Tip Deduction Worksheet (With W-2)

  • Qualified Tip Deduction Worksheet (Self-Employed)

  • Qualified Overtime Deduction Worksheet*

  • Qualified Vehicle Loan Interest Deduction Worksheet

Link & Learn Certification Site News

Go Live Date: The IRS Link and Learn Certification website is now LIVE. Remember to use the NTTC version of the tests for your practice as it has some important errata:  NTTC Training Resource Links. Remember to FIRST update your personal account/profile information and your course selection(s).

Publication 4189, VITA/TCE Volunteer Test/Retest Answers: This publication is currently unavailable on the Link & Learn Taxes certification site, VITA/TCE Central. The publication is being updated to correct identified errors. The Publication 4189 will be added back to VITA/TCE Central as soon as possible. Your local SPEC relationship manager will send out a message when the publication is available.

TY2025 TaxSlayer Online

Getting prepared for TY2025

We (TSO) are marking sites as inactive that we have not received a TY2025 order for.  As we receive your order from the IRS, your site will be activated.  During this process all volunteers continue to have access to the Practice Lab to conduct and/or complete training.  This process is impacting more sites than prior years due to new ordering procedures and the extended government shut down.

If your site is no longer active, please reach out to your SPEC relationship Manager to ensure that your order has been placed with the IRS.  There may be outstanding questions and/or paperwork needed.

Important Dates

• December 24th & 25th:  VITA/TCE Support closed

• December 26th:  IRS Cut-Over  This means they will not be accepting electronically filed returns until e-file opens in January (Date to be Determined)

• Early January:  We will begin releasing states as we receive final approvals

• January 12th:  Target date for turning on Start New Return

• Week of January 12th:  Email 2025 VITA Kiosk URLs who have submitted required support information

• E-file Opens (Date has not been announced)

TaxSlayer Online (TSO) licenses will be ordered NLT December 22, 2025. ME1 Form 15272 VITA TCE Security Plan for each active site are complete except for Kennebunk Library, which is in process. 

TSO Site Administration On-demand webinar is now available for those 1st-time admins and those needing a refresher course – Click Here to view the training video and download the attached TSO Admin Guides.

2025 OnDemand Return Preparation Parts I & II webinars for the 2026 Filing Season are now available. A direct link is available below and is also accessible under Section 6 in the Practice Lab.

• Return Preparation I – Click Here

• Return Preparation II – Click Here

2025 OnDemand TaxSlayer Enhancement webinar for the 2026 Filing Season is now available. *User guide will be added prior to January. A direct link is available below and is also accessible under Section 6 in the Practice Lab.

• 2025 TaxSlayer Enhancement Webinar – Click Here

TY2025 LMS Courses Launched

Each year we take online courses to meet both AARP Foundation standards and requirements set by the IRS as a condition for the grant money they provide to fund the Tax-Aide program.  These courses are in the Learning Management System (LMS), found in the training tab on the Volunteer Portal.

To be a Tax-Aide volunteer you must take the following two courses for certification:

• Technology and Security

• Policies and Procedures

Local Coordinators and Shift Coordinators must also take:

• Local Coordinator/Shift Coordinator Training

In response to your feedback and program changes, these LMS courses are updated each year and thoroughly tested. They are ready for you today! 

Links to add to your Chromebook Bookmarks

Bookmark these links to your personal device and your Chromebook:

• Maine Tax-Aide - Right-click to open in Incognito Window on your Chromebook 

• ME1 State Share - State-wide shared folder. Anyone with the link can view/contribute.

  • Requires a Google account to access (i.e. Username@gmail.com).

  • Everyone should have contributor access (can't delete anything).

  • Deletes can be requested through TCS@gmail.com or TCS@aarpfoundation.org.

• 2025 Site Activity Tracking Log electronic, fillable, with instructions

Prospective Volunteer (PV) Accounts

The PV process has begun and updates will happen every TUESDAY, until mid-October, when they'll go to 2x week on TUES and FRIDAY.

Please remind your LCs that a prospective volunteer must have been designated a Candidate in the Portal.

Refer to the NOC Tip Sheet VP04.02 - Processing a Prospective Volunteer, which is found in the volunteer Portal Libraries in the orange folder.

Prepare Tax-Aide Equipment for Start of Tax Season

Proper preparation of Tax-Aide equipment helps ensure maximum availability and reliability for the entire tax season. The following instructions should help you to do these important tasks.

Chromebooks

Reference: C11 Chromebook Accounts, Logging in, Adding and Removing User Accounts

Prepare a Chromebook for use after extended storage:

1. Plug in the power supply to the left USB-C port (yes, it does appear to make a difference on the newer models)

2. Charge the Chromebook battery to a minimum of 80% and power ON (by opening the screen or pressing the keyboard Power button.

3. If your Chromebook does not power on, take your Chromebook out of storage mode by:

   • • Simultaneously hold down both the Refresh (circle)and Power keys and power ON the Chromebook, then release the keys. The device should turn ON.

4. Power on your Chromebook (CB) and connect to your secure wireless network (C12 - Chromebook Connection to a Network - a Basic Guide)

5. if present, remove any accounts listed from the main Login screen by selecting the down caret (ν) next to the account name and clicking Remove account twice. Do this for all the accounts on the Chromebook

   • Do not use any previously used accounts on Chromebooks due to security concerns

6. Log onto your CB with your TY2x login ID (123456789ty2x@aarpfoundation.org) and the initial password (TaxAide202x!)

7. Ensure the Chromebook has the most current OS updates (C14 - Updating Chromebook OS), which should be automatic.

8. Import your previously saved Bookmarks from a USB drive making sure to add the Maine Tax-Aide (https://sites.google.com/view/mainetaxaide/home) website to your "Incognito Window" folder list, which you can create.

9. Shut down your Chromebook to ensure future ChromeOS updates are downloaded when next used

10. Your Chromebook is now ready for use in the new tax season.

11. Storage: NEVER store Chromebooks or printers in vehicles, outdoor storage, portable storage units, or any location that cannot be climate-controlled or where it can be potentially stolen.

Network Equipment

1. Power up the the router and/or Hotspot as applicable

2. Update the firmware as needed

3. Determine if your site will require a 1-Layer or 2-Layer router solution (NEW TA Policy & Procedure for TY2025)

4. Test all connections at your Tax-Aide site

5. Store each in its original box in a similar environment as your Chromebook (per CB instructions above)

6. Click here for more information

Questions?

Please reach out to your district Technical Coordinator, state Technical Specialist or District coordinator with any questions or concerns.