Approach to Counselor
Training
Training Guide -Process Based training
Principle of Adult Learning
Interviewing techniques
Supporting documentation
Training plans - new/returning
counselors
 Alternate training plan
 Training approach
 Documentation Available
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PREPARATION FOR COUNSELOR
CLASSES
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PREPARATION FOR COUNSELOR
CLASSES
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Power Point Slides
 Process based tax training
 Updated for 2012
 Individual modules & consolidated
modules
 Integrated with Pubs 4491W
 References to Pub 4012, Pub 4491 &
Pub 17
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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 open-ended
 Allow the client time to respond
 Involve the client in the process
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INTERVIEWING:
KEY QUESTIONS
 Living Situation
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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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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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Counselor Certification Process
 Preferred: Take test on L&L, print
out results (printed on form
13615), sign and provide to
instructor or LC. Instructor or LC
reviews 4 exercises completed by
counselor and resolves any errors
 Can take test manually using Pub
6744 and provide answer sheet to
instructor or LC for grading.
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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
don’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
 All Form 13615s must be signed by
instructor & a copy submitted to Sandy
Liska either by mail, fax or email.
 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
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Training – New Counselors
 Use training slides (ReadMe)
 See sample plans – Extranet - Training
 Use Link & Learn – For training & taking
test
 Any training should reference Pub 4012
 Use 4491
 Any training should use 4491W exercises
 Prepare 4 exercises as part of certification
 Successfully complete test and sign 13615
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2012 New Counselor Training
Plan Example
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2012 New Counselor Training
Plan Example
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2010 Returning Counselor
Training Plan Example
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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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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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Alternate Training Option
 New policy for new or returning
counselor who cannot attend classes.
 Must obtain permission from lead
instructor to self study via L&L
 No more than one half training via L&L
 Must attend at least ½ standard
training in person
 See “Alternate Training Option” on
extranet
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RETURNING COUNSELOR
TRAINING EVALUATION – 2011
 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
Extranet
 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 Extranet
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Reference Material on Extranet
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2011 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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Reference Material on AZ Web
Site
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1099 SSA Lump Sum Payment
Arizona Return Requirements
Duck Book TWD & TWO
Flow Chart Dependents/Exemptions
HAS Training
Sch C Training
Test Using L&L
Use Form D19597 to Track efiles
Volunteer Certification Process
P4961 Volunteer Stds Of Conduct Training
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AARP Tax-Aide Volunteer Portal
A web-based and centralized access point that provides
a single and secure access to All AARP Tax-Aide
Information, Applications, Databases and Reporting
• Accessibility based on volunteer title and other
requirements
• Simplification and consistent presentation of the forms,
tools and interfaces used for data entry, search and
reporting
Training Materials on the Portal and all applications
can be found on the Extranet Training Tab
http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/taxaide/www.aarp.org/sk/taxaide/training.html
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Future Portal Application
Volunteer ShareNet (Formerly Extranet)
Volunteer ShareNet in
PORTAL
EXTRANET
• Move Extranet contents currently open to the public and maintained by AARP
IT to secured and easy to use interface to be called “Volunteer ShareNet”
• Contents can be updated by Tax Aide staff at any time
• Access to the contents is determined by the user’s volunteer positions
• Systems maintained in parallel during transition
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Sample Volunteer ShareNet Screen
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Portal Registration Roll Out
• Portal registration requires all AARP
Foundation Tax-Aide Volunteers to have a
unique email address.
• E-mail address may not be shared with
another volunteer, AARP member or AARP. org
registered user.
• ADS and National Office will assist in case of a
conflict with E-mail addresses.
2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis
Portal Pre-Registeration
• Volunteers who are not already registered by
the listed dates below will be pre-registered
by the National Office using their existing
VMIS Tax-Aide E-mail address as the Login ID.
All Leaders – 12/31/11
All Existing Non-Leaders – 1/15/12
All New & Returning Volunteer – 2/15/12
• Volunteers will be provided with a Password
by E-mail upon registration.
2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis
That’s All Folks!
Questions??
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