Approach to Counselor
Training
Bob Eslinger
Pacific Region Training Advisor
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Items to be Covered
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Introduction to ShareNet
Training Guide -Process Based training
Principle of Adult Learning
Interviewing techniques
Supporting documentation
Training plans - new/returning counselors
Training approach
Take the test on L&L
Setting up TWO for training
Documentation Available
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https://volunteers.aarp.org
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Create At Least 4 Exercises
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Power Point Slides
 Process based tax training
 Updated for 2012 on ShareNet
 2011 Modules also included on ShareNet
 Integrated with Pubs 4491W
 References to Pub 4012, Pub 4491 & Pub 17
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Site and Volunteers
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ShareNet Training Documents
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ADULT LEARNING
 MINIMIZE THEORY
 USE PRACTICAL DISCUSSION
 INTEGRATE NEW IDEAS WITH EXISTING
KNOWLEDGE
 REALISTIC PRACTICE PROBLEMS
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ADULT LEARNING
 START SIMPLE
 PROVIDE FEEDBACK
 CHALLENGE BUT NOT OVERWHELM
 SELF-ESTEEM IMPORTANT
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SCREENING &
INTERVIEWING
Pub 4491
Pub 4012
Lesson 2
Intro, Tab A
Tabs 1, 7-9, 13
Form 13614-C
(Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet)
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5-STEP INTERVIEW PROCESS
 Cultivate a comfortable environment & put
taxpayer at ease
 Use active listening skills
 Review taxpayers responses to intake
questions
 Work with taxpayer to complete critical
questions
 Advise TP of the next steps
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EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING
4012 Intro
Speak clearly, simply, and loud enough
Build rapport, LISTEN
Reassure the client (“I understand”)
Ask effective questions, eg, probing and openended
 Allow the client time to respond
 Involve the client in the process
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INTERVIEWING:
KEY QUESTIONS
 Living Situation
 Who lives in house/apartment?
 # of months each in home?
 Relationship?
 Dependent?
 If married, lived together when?
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PRESENTATION
 KEYS TO A GOOD PRESENTATION
 ENTHUSIASM
 SPEAK CLEARLY
 LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD
 TALK AT AUDIENCE – NOT DOWN TO THEM
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Training This Year
 Training will be conducted using 2011 Tax
Law and 2011 Tax Software.
 Once 2012 Tax Law is defined 2012 Pub
4012 will be issued along with a pub 4491-X
and a CD with all 2012 publications and
forms.
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Use TWO for Training
 Desktop and TWO EROs can setup TWO
Training for counselors
 Must use Internet Explorer
 All counselors required to complete 4
exercises using TW
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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
 Pub 4012 Volunteer Resource Guide
 Pub 4491 (hard copy or CD) Training Guide
 Pub 4491W Comprehensive Problems &
Exercises
 Pub 17 Your Federal Income Tax Guide
 Pub 6744 Volunteer Test/Retest
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Certification Requirements
 All volunteers must attend presentation on
Standards of Conduct, pass the standard of conduct
test (80%) and sign Form 13615 Standards of
Conduct Agreement
 All counselors must attend training & pass basic,
intermediate and advanced test (80%) and prepare
4 exercises assigned by instructor
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Take the Test On L&L
 All counselor can certify on L&L
 Problems can be prepared on Practice Lab,
TWO or desktop
 Form 13615 Volunteer Agreement can be
printed when test completed
 Biggest Advantage – Instructor doesn’t have to
grade test
 See document [Take the Test Using Link &
Learn (11/14)
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Counselor Certification Continued
 Lead instructor should collect Form 13615 and inform
LC of certified counselors and other counselors who
have passed the Standards of Conduct (CF/TC).
 All Form 13615s must be signed by instructor & a
copy submitted to Sandy Liska either by mail, fax or
email. For new counselor she will also need the
supervisor name.
 8103 E Southern Ave Lot 73
 Mesa AZ 85029-3508
 480-380-1505
 aarpsdliska@gmail.com
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Counselor Certification Continued
 If LC grades the test and has the counselor sign Form
13615, the form should be signed by the LC, a copy
sent to Sandy and the instructor should be informed.
 The Form 13615s should be retained at the local level
until the end of the season
 Sandy will provide the list of certified counselors to
the IRS
 The list of AZ certified counselors will be available
online.
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Training – New Counselors
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Use training slides See sample plans – ShareNet
Use Link & Learn – For training & taking test
Any training should reference Pub 4012
Use 4491 as applicable
Any training should use 4491W exercises
Prepare 4 exercises as part of certification
Successfully complete test and sign 13615
Send 13615 to Sandy along with the name of the
new counselor’s supervisor
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Recommended Exercises
 Baylor – Military retiree, wife has died, caring for
grandchild, div, pension, SS, and itemized deductions
 Fleming – Divorced woman, 2 kids, INT, IRA, pension,
self employment, W-2, EITC
 Sterling – Retired couple, INT, DIV, stock sale, pension
and SS
 Kent Comprehensive – Most everything except EITC.
Line by Line answers
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SAMPLE NEW COUNSELOR
AGENDA
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NEW COUNSELOR – DAY 2
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NEW COUNSELOR – DAY 3
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NEW COUNSELOR – DAY 4
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NEW COUNSELOR – DAY 5
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SAMPLE RETURNING COUNSELOR
ONE DAY AGENDA - MORNING
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SAMPLE RETURNING COUNSELOR
AGENDA - AFTERNOON
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SAMPLE RETURNING
COUNSELOR
THREE DAY AGENDA
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SAMPLE RETURNING
COUNSELOR
THREE DAY AGENDA
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SAMPLE RETURNING
COUNSELOR
THREE DAY AGENDA
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ALTERNATIVE TRAINING
OPTION
 New policy for potential counselors who do
not have ability to attend all classes
 Must obtain approval from District Training
Coordinator
 Must attend in person
AARPFTA Policies/Procedures
IRS Standards of Conduct
 No more than ½ training via self-study
 All program certification must be met
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ALTERNATIVE TRAINING
OPTION
 Experienced Volunteers – 12 hours
classroom, on-line & home study for
balance of training
 New Volunteers – 20 hours classroom, online & home study for balance of training
 See portal ShareNet for suggested agenda
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RETURNING COUNSELOR
TRAINING EVALUATION – 2012
 Was the class worth the investment of your
time?
 What subject was most important to you?
 What subject wasn’t covered that you would
have liked to have covered?
 What could be improved?
 Other comments
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Other Training
 District must decide approach to train ERO’s.
 Reference ERO Presentation on ShareNet
 As a minimum, a mentor (experience ERO) should
be assigned to any new ERO
 Client Facilitator and any other volunteer must pass
Standards of Conduct test
 Reference Client Facilitator training on the ShareNet
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http://www.aztax-aide.org/
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AZ Tax Site
 http://www.aztax-aide.org/
 Should be the first place to look for
information
 http://www.aztaxaide.org/Pages/NewMemLinks.html
Bypasses entry page and goes directly to
counselor information page or
Click on cactus
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http://www.aztaxaide.org/Pages/NewMemLinks.html
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Training
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Technology
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Take The Test On L&L
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Create New Account
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Take the Test Using L&L
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Complete Test & Print F13615
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Why Use TWO for Training
 Any counselor can log into TWO as long as
they have IE and high speed internet
access
 Practice Lab has been unreliable, does not
include a forms tree and doesn’t have good
tax form defaults
 Can switch to TW12 once decision is made
to move.
 When counselor has a problem, instructor
can log into counselors account
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Counselor Training Support
 Desktop users can access current year TWO
until January 31, 2013.
 For information on setting up Desktop TWO see
[Technology Software][TaxWise Online]
“Using TWO with a Desktop EFIN for
Training] on ShareNet”
 Provides implementation details
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Setup TWO Users
 TWO or Desktop TWO Admin user can log into
TWO Training
 https://twonline.taxwise.com/training for
2012 software (when it is released)
 https://twonline.taxwise.com/training11 for
2011 software (software to be used to
support the test)
 Enter Client ID; Admin for user; Password
 Once logged in Admin user can setup users
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Considerations
 All exercise SSN formats are xxx-yy-zzzz
 xxx - exercise number
 yy - unique user number
 zzzz – last four digits of EFIN
 User names exist forever (returns created last year
exist forever, even if practice returns have been
deleted or inactive)
 Assign new unique number so 2011 returns will
not be recreated.
 Assign users [Return Preparer]
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Unsatisfactory Tree and TFD’s
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Setup TWO Tree/TFD’s
 Add forms to the tree to support tax form
defaults (TFD).
 Add Capital Gains Worksheet and 6 copies of
8949; A-ST, A-LT, B-ST, B-LT, C-ST, C-LT
 Set Tax Form Defaults using “Suggested
Default Templates for TWO 2011” on
ShareNet @
[Technology Software] [TaxWise Online]
[Suggested Default Templates for TWO
2011]
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Setup Basic TWO Settings
 Administrator Settings, User Settings,
Custom Fields, Return Stage, Print Sets
 Set online settings using “Suggested
TaxWise Online Settings” on ShareNet @
[Technology Software][TaxWise Online]
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TaxWise Online Settings
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Ready to Train on TWO
 Reference Blue Tabs on Pub 4012 Volunteer
Resource Guide
 CCF Brainshark/videos in the 2011 CCH
Training material @
http://download.taxwise.com/media/2011%20
IRS%20Training/Training%20Homepage.html
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TaxWise Online Administration for VITA/TCE
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Reference Material on
ShareNet/AZ Tax
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2012 Training Guide
Power Point Training Slides
Client Facilitator Training
ERO Training
Volunteer Standards of Conduct
Volunteer Standards of Professionism
Volunteer Certification Process
Alternate Training Options
Taxpayer Information and Responsibilities
Volunteer Portal - Overview
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