Approach to Counselor Training

1AZ Instructor Workshop 2012

Approach to Counselor Training

Bob EslingerPacific Region Training Advisor


Items to be Covered

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


https://volunteers.aarp.org






Create At Least 4 Exercises


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




Site and Volunteers


ShareNet Training Documents


ADULT LEARNING

MINIMIZE THEORY

USE PRACTICAL DISCUSSION

INTEGRATE NEW IDEAS WITH EXISTING KNOWLEDGE

REALISTIC PRACTICE PROBLEMS



ADULT LEARNING

START SIMPLE

PROVIDE FEEDBACK

CHALLENGE BUT NOT OVERWHELM

SELF-ESTEEM IMPORTANT


SCREENING &INTERVIEWING

Pub 4491 Lesson 2Pub 4012 Intro, Tab A

Tabs 1, 7-9, 13Form 13614-C(Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet)


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


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


INTERVIEWING:KEY QUESTIONS

Living Situation Who lives in house/apartment? # of months each in home? Relationship? Dependent?

If married, lived together when?


PRESENTATION

KEYS TO A GOOD PRESENTATION

ENTHUSIASM

SPEAK CLEARLY

LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD

TALK AT AUDIENCE – NOT DOWN TO THEM


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.


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


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


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


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)


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 [email protected]


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.


Training – New Counselors

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


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


SAMPLE NEW COUNSELOR AGENDA


NEW COUNSELOR – DAY 2








SAMPLE RETURNING COUNSELORONE DAY AGENDA - MORNING


SAMPLE RETURNING COUNSELOR AGENDA - AFTERNOON


SAMPLE RETURNING COUNSELOR

THREE DAY AGENDA



THREE DAY AGENDA



THREE DAY AGENDA


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 personAARPFTA Policies/ProceduresIRS Standards of Conduct

No more than ½ training via self-studyAll program certification must be met


ALTERNATIVE TRAINING OPTION

Experienced Volunteers – 12 hours classroom, on-line & home study for balance of training

New Volunteers – 20 hours classroom, on-line & home study for balance of training

See portal ShareNet for suggested agenda


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


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




http://www.aztax-aide.org/


AZ Tax Site

http://www.aztax-aide.org/Should be the first place to look for

informationhttp://www.aztax-aide.org/Pages/NewMemLi

nks.htmlBypasses entry page and goes directly to

counselor information page or Click on cactus


http://www.aztax-aide.org/Pages/NewMemLinks.html


Training


Technology


Take The Test On L&L


Create New Account



Take the Test Using L&L


Complete Test & Print F13615


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


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



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




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]


Unsatisfactory Tree and TFD’s


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]


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]


TaxWise Online Settings


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%20IRS%20Training/Training%20Homepage.html


TaxWise Online Administration for VITA/TCE


Reference Material on ShareNet/AZ Tax

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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