Practice Exercises: NTTC Workbook and TaxSlayer Practice Lab

 • Practice exercises are available in the NTTC Workbook. A printed copy is available from your local leadership. An errata and Intake/Interview Sheets and Brokerage Statements for those exercises are available online. 

• There are also Quizzes, Training Exercises, and accompanying Presentations. Follow your district training team’s directions regarding their use. 

 • Practice tax returns can be prepared online in TaxSlayer Practice Lab. Use these Instructions to access it and create an account. 

Self-Study Program

 • If you’re pursuing a self-directed learning program with the support of a mentor, you can access our Self-Study Counselor Training and Certification Course. Additional information is available in a Read Me, Counselor Resources, Answer and Progress Sheets, and the Pathway to Certification. 

Training Videos

 • Short videos are available covering a variety of topics to supplement our other resources. Separate playlists are available for New Volunteers and Client Facilitators. 

IRS Certification Tests and TaxSlayer Practice Lab

 • When you are ready to complete your certification, you’ll complete exams included in the IRS Form 6744 VITA/TCE Volunteer Assistor’s Test/Retest. Local leadership can provide a printed copy.

 • You’ll need to enter your answers in Link & Learn Certification. Here’s Guidance for Taking the IRS Certification Tests Online. 

Other Tax-Aide Links

 • AARP Volunteer Portal

 • Tax-Aide Policy and Procedures Manual

 • MI02 Password List (optional – to keep track of your Tax-Aide accounts and passwords) 

Additional NTTC/IRS Training Resources

AARP Volunteer Portal LMS Training - Instructors must understand that AARP volunteers are required to take the following courses:  Policies and Procedures, and Technology and Security.

The Volunteer Portal Access Learning Content tip sheet is available here. 

IRS Pub 4942, Health Savings Accounts (HSA) - Training on health savings accounts. 

IRS Pub 5838, VITA-TCE Intake/Interview and Quality Review Handbook - This publication is designed to help tax counselors understand the process of conducting effective intake/interview and quality reviews. All coordinators and volunteers who answer tax law questions, instruct tax law classes, prepare or correct tax returns, and/or conduct quality reviews of completed tax returns will use this publication for instructions on these three processes. All volunteers must understand the processes required to prepare a tax return from start to finish. 

NTTC All-In-One Lessons - Five interactive classroom exercises.

NTTC Master List of All Videos - All NTTC training videos.

NTTC Returning Volunteer Video Playlist - NTTC training videos for returning counselors. 

NTTC Training Exercises - Details needed to teach the four training exercises:  Andrews, Baker, Caldwell, and Davenport.

NTTC Training Handbook (most recent version) - A reference for TRCs and instructors designed to provide information needed to successfully carry out their roles. Topics include preparation for training (lesson planning, adult learning principles, delivery methods, proficiency exercises), minimum essential knowledge elements, advanced knowledge topics, certification, resource materials and products, and evaluation of training. To help determine what topics need to be covered, the minimum essential knowledge elements are discussed here. The advanced topics are discussed here. 

NTTC Workbook Instructor Guide - Exercise notes for instructors.

Tax-Aide Gold Standards -  Best practices for Intake and Interview and Quality Review. 

VA State Training Meets Schedule - The schedule for online Google Meets covering federal tax law for returning counselors, VA state tax training, MD/DC state tax training, and WV state tax training.