Volunteering

Have You Ever Wanted to Make a Difference in the Community and Develop Your Professional Skills As a VITA Volunteer?

Join the CSUN VITA Clinic this Spring as a VITA Volunteer!

What roles may a CSUN student take as part of the CSUN VITA Clinic?

Students from all disciplines at the university may join VITA. Recruitment for the VITA season begins in the fall. Students may enroll in a VITA course and receive academic credit, or they can simply volunteer with no academic credit. All VITA students must complete tax preparation training during the month of January and pass the IRS VITA test at the conclusion of the training. Once certified as VITA volunteers, students are assigned to serve in one of our many tax preparation sites in Los Angeles starting in late January through April 15. Students may serve as a Preparer, Supervisor, or a Lead Supervisor.

Would I have Any Professional Liability Exposure for my Volunteer Work as a VITA Scholar?

The Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel has stated that VITA volunteers are not “income tax preparers” under I.R.C. § 7701(a)(31) because we do not prepare returns for compensation. Thus, CSUN VITA Clinic volunteers who assist taxpayers are not legally responsible for the accuracy of the returns, are not required to sign the returns, and need not retain the records required of commercial income tax preparers.