Training and Certification

Training for the 2025 Tax Season has concluded.

Sign up to receive our volunteer newsletter, The Ladder Update here, for all future updates!

Pre-reads before training!

Volunteering with Ladder Up 2025: This guide includes an overview of volunteer expectations, general information, training information, and steps.

Case Review training – Get familiarized with the scope of VITA, intake paperwork, and tax forms. In-person and virtual Case Review training – sign up at https://goladderup.volunteerhub.com today!

Primary Resources and Publications: (DO NOT PRINT)

2024-2025 Mini Manual – A Mini manual will be available for each volunteer at in-person training and tax sites. We recommend you review this mini manual and encourage you to use it for training and when you are out at a tax site.

Pub 4012 – This volunteer resource guide will assist you in completing a tax return using TaxSlayer.

Pub 4012-A – Updated resource guide will assist you in completing a tax return using TaxSlayer.

Pub 4491 – IRS training guide. Use this publication to read about tax law topics in detail.

Pub 4491X – VITA/TCE Training Supplement

Certification Tests

Each year, volunteers must pass a combination of a few tests with at least 80% or higher. Volunteers have two opportunities to pass the test. Note that if you fail the first time, the retest exam has a different set of questions.

Pub 6744 – Volunteer Test and retest questions

All Roles: All volunteers must complete both exams below.

Tax Prepares and Quality Reviewers: Volunteers in these roles have to complete the VSC, IIQR, and one of the following certification tests below.

Online Accounts Needed for Training

You will need to create an account for each of the following websites. If you are a returning volunteer, you may select forgot password to reset your password.

VolunteerHub – https://goladderup.volunteerhub.com – Training and Volunteering registration portal.
TaxSlayer Practice Lab – https://vita.taxslayerpro.com/IRStraining
- Universal Password: TRAINPROWEB
Link & Learn – https://www.linklearncertification.com – Once you’ve completed training, submit your answers in Link & Learn. For more details, see “Volunteering with Ladder Up” pre-read linked above. Link and Learn has great resources if you would like to read into any tax law topic, see “Link and Learn Taxes Lesson”

Study Guides

United Way VITA has many resources on its page if you would like to try different study resources. Below are the study guides they created.

Another great resource they created was check your answers.

Prosperity Now VITA Train – These free online training modules help you prepare for the IRS Basic and Advanced Certification test. Check out the Prosperity Now training tool for VITA volunteers HERE: https://prosperitynow.org/vita-train