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Issue 40698

Modify VITA Training to Include HSA Issues

Issue Statement:

Current training requirements for all VITA volunteer tax preparers require them to certify at either the Basic or Advance level. Many, if not most, certify at the Advanced level. However, to see clients that have health savings accounts ), volunteers need to take an additional course relating to HSAs. Since HSA accounts are becoming increasingly more common, being certified in HSA is increasingly important for volunteer tax preparers. However, this certification requirement frequently leads to additional confusion in practice as the site coordinators need to keep careful track of which of their volunteers for that day can see clients with HSA accounts. This leads to overall slower return processing as the site coordinators try to determine who can see these clients.

Goal Statement:

To improve the efficiency of VITA to handle clients with HSA accounts and thereby process more returns quicker and more accurately.

RECOMMENDATION 40698

RECOMMENDATION TEXT:

Proposed Solution: Consolidate the HSA training into the Advanced training course so that all volunteers who pass the Advanced level are also HSA qualified.

IRS Action: Awaiting IRS response

For the 2019 Tax Year, the HSA course will remain apart from the Advanced Module.

For the 2020 Tax Year, we will explore how incorporating a revised HSA course into the Advanced Module impacts:

1) The total number of Continuing Education credits made available for volunteers who participate (we do not want to reduce the overall number of Continuing Education Credits made available to volunteers); and

2) How partners operate their VITA/TCE sites

current report

2023 TAP Annual Report

The six core project committees submitted 31 referrals to the IRS for consideration during the 2023 TAP year. These referrals contained 531 recommendations to the IRS.

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