Become A Volunteer

Becoming a VITA volunteer is a great way to gain professional soft skills, build tax knowledge, and make a meaningful impact in your community. Through client interaction, you will develop problem-solving and communication skills while working alongside a team of dedicated volunteers and staff. Whether you volunteer in person or virtually, your time and effort will help individuals and families navigate the tax filing process with confidence.

VITA welcomes student volunteers enrolled at Michigan State University from all backgrounds—no prior tax experience is required!

Volunteers must complete IRS and Michigan training and certification exams to ensure they are equipped to assist clients accurately. The time commitment for volunteering is flexible, with most volunteers dedicating 3-4 hours per week, either on-site or virtually. 

There are three unique positions that VITA volunteers may choose from:​

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• Tax Preparer: Volunteer tax preparers prepare tax returns through online software using the information and documentation provided by clients to prepare an accurate tax return that maximizes their refund. Traditionally, they would work face-to-face with a client, however with the disruptions brought on by the pandemic, most now volunteer remotely accessing digital scans of documents.

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• Intake Specialist: Intake specialists assist clients by scanning and uploading the necessary tax documents and information necessary to prepare their return remotely. They typically volunteer in-person with some virtual opportunities available. This allows us to serve a greater number of clients, particularly with the changes brought about by the pandemic. 

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• Quality Reviewer: Quality reviewers are volunteers with at least one year of experience who ensure that returns are prepared accurately by tax preparers before they are filed. Every return prepared at our sites, virtually or otherwise, goes through a review. They also train fellow volunteers by identifying mistakes and demonstrating proper procedure.

Interested in joining VITA? Follow these steps:

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• Sign up for our email list to receive updates on training sessions, meetings, and key deadlines.​​​​

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• Attend an information session to learn more about volunteer opportunities and connect with current volunteers.

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• Complete VITA/CAUW application, training and certification to prepare for your volunteer role.​​

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VITA/CAUW Application

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In order to access the VITA/CAUW application you must make an account in the MyImpactPage to get started. Once an account has been made you will have access to the application and can follow the instructions to get started. 

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For additional questions, email us at rso.msuvita@msu.edu.