Approach to Counselor Training

1. 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

4. PREPARATION FOR COUNSELOR CLASSES

5. PREPARATION FOR COUNSELOR CLASSES

7. 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

9. ADULT LEARNING MINIMIZE THEORY USE PRACTICAL DISCUSSION INTEGRATE NEW IDEAS WITH EXISTING KNOWLEDGE REALISTIC PRACTICE PROBLEMS

11. ADULT LEARNING START SIMPLE PROVIDE FEEDBACK CHALLENGE BUT NOT OVERWHELM SELF-ESTEEM IMPORTANT

12. SCREENING &INTERVIEWING Pub 4491 Lesson 2 Pub 4012 Intro, Tab A Tabs 1, 7-9, 13 Form 13614-C (Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet)

13. 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

14. EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING4012 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

15. INTERVIEWING:KEY QUESTIONS Living Situation Who lives in house/apartment? # of months each in home? Relationship? Dependent? If married, lived together when?

16. PRESENTATION KEYS TO A GOOD PRESENTATION ENTHUSIASM SPEAK CLEARLY LOUD ENOUGH TO BE HEARD TALK AT AUDIENCE – NOT DOWN TO THEM

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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)

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 2012 New Counselor Training Plan Example

25. 2012 New Counselor Training Plan Example

26. 2010 Returning Counselor Training Plan Example

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. Reference Material on Extranet • 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

33. Reference Material on AZ Web Site • 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

34. 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 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis 34 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis

35. 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 35 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis

36. Sample Volunteer ShareNet Screen 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis 2011 Regional Meetings – St Louis 36

37. 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

38. 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

39. That’s All Folks! Questions??