Tax Preparer

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position: Tax Preparer -Seasonal- Various Bronx Locations

Program: VITA Tax Program

Reports to: Tax Program Site Coordinator

Salary: $21 an hour

Posted: October 15, 2024

Start Date: January 2025

Part-Time or Full- Time Seasonal Tax Preparer- VITA Tax Program

About Ariva

Ariva helps residents of New York City build financially empowered and prosperous lives. Our mission is to bring economic justice, opportunity and inclusion to our Bronx neighbors and other underserved New Yorkers. We offer free income tax preparation assistance and comprehensive financial capabilities services at locations across New York City. Information on our projects and programs can be found at www.ariva.org

Our goal is to understand the needs and experiences of the people we serve. Our staff, volunteers, and community partners offer honesty, reliability, care, and kindness in every interaction with our clients.

If our work and culture are a fit for you, we urge to join our team next tax season!

Tax Program

We are the top free tax preparation community-based organization in the Bronx, with 12 sites, including three year-round locations. We help eligible New York City residents file their tax returns and claim credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Since 2003, we have prepared free tax returns for more than 137,000 clients, returning over $227 million in total refunds to underserved communities.

All of Ariva’s tax program staff and volunteers are IRS-certified. All of our tax sites are sponsored by the IRS VITA program.

We are now actively recruiting experienced tax staff to work with us in the 2025 filing season. We need staff all days of the week, including evenings and weekends, and can offer interested candidates hours that suit their schedule.

Position Description

An integral part of our tax team and the face of Ariva during tax time, the tax preparer assists in income tax preparation and offers tax advice to clients. Face-to-face, in-person service is an essential component of this position, tax preparer staff work in person at one of our offices. All staff must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and follow our health and safety procedures in our offices.

Responsibilities

Tax Preparer:

Using IRS approved software (currently TaxSlayer), complete accurate individual Federal and State tax returns in an efficient and professional manner and as required by the rules of the VITA program:

• Register clients on Salesforce as needed
• Prepare tax returns within scope of preparer’s certification
• Ensure all required documents are completed and signed before starting the return
• Ensure intake process was performed completely and accurately
• Interview client to determine all appropriate income, deductions and credits are reported on the return
• Verify that filers’ personal information (name, social security) and banking information are reported accurately on the return
• Ensure return is marked for quality review by a 2nd qualified person
• At all times, adhere to IRS standards of conduct, including but not limited to, protecting client privacy and confidentiality
• As appropriate, consistently promote other resources available at the site that might be of interest to the tax filer, including financial counseling and asset building resources

Other responsibilities

• Follow health and safety procedures
• Ensure the site and its visitors follow safety plans.

Core Competencies:

• No particular educational background is required. (Preparer need not have a college degree or any type of background in accounting or finance). Certain skills, however are essential to this position:
• At least one year of experience- paid or volunteer- in income tax preparation is desirable
• Must pass IRS certification exam at the Advanced level (training for the exam is available)
• Knowledgeable about IRS VITA site tax preparation requirements (staff are trained in these requirements).
• Must be responsible, reliable and punctual. It is critical that staff come to work on time and as scheduled.
• Must present a highly professional appearance and demeanor; must adhere at all times to Ariva’s dress code (business casual)
• Good computer skills to navigate tax software and file sharing system
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision
• Detail oriented
• Good customer service skills, assisting all taxpayers in a friendly, courteous and professional manner.

Schedule: This seasonal position requires some availability for training in early January. Regular work hours will begin in mid-January and end in late April. We have multiple sites with shifts available weekdays, day and evening, as well as Saturday daytime shifts.

To Apply: Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to Maribel Montilla at mmontilla@ariva.org.

"Ariva is an Equal Opportunity Employer"