Tax Help appointments

Role of a Tax Help centre coordinator

The centre coordinator's role is to oversee the operation of Tax Help in the centre. Their responsibilities include:

• introducing Tax Help volunteers to key people in the centre
• ensuring those booking Tax Help appointments are aware of their responsibilities
• creating a roster based on volunteer availability and notifying them of upcoming appointments
• ensuring volunteers have a private room or workspace to conduct appointments, with:
  • a computer, laptop, iPad or tablet
  • a desk and at least 2 chairs
  • a shelf or drawer to store stationery and personal belongings
  • a phone, or access to a phone in a private area nearby
  • a computer or laptop with internet connection
• maintaining the safety of volunteers by ensuring they are not left alone at the centre and that they are aware of the centre's security and health and safety policies.
• providing volunteers access to stationery items supplied by Tax Help
• promoting Tax Help within the centre and community
• submitting administrative documents to facilitate timely reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses to volunteers
• maintaining regular contact with Tax Help
• ensuring ATO equipment is stored in a secure location, used appropriately, and returned in good working condition at the end of tax time.

Making the appointment

When making a Tax Help appointment, the centre will check their eligibility.

If a client has a family member or friend who also needs help, a separate appointment should be made.

People who need help with more than one return or form will need additional time allocated for the appointment.

Appointment confirmation

The Tax Help centre provides an appointment confirmation (PDF, 131KB)This link will download a file. This confirms the time, date and place of the appointment, and includes information on how to prepare and what to bring to the appointment.

Appointment record

When you arrive at your Tax Help centre, you will be given a Tax Help appointment record (PDF, 654KB)This link will download a file form, which shows the details of the people you will be assisting. This information is entered by the person who made the appointment.

When you have completed your appointments for the day, return the appointment record to your centre coordinator or nominee. They will forward this information to us at the end of each month.

If you completed a non-lodgment advice or provided advice only, indicate this on the appointment record.

After the appointment

The Tax Help centre and volunteer's responsibility to a client ends once the client's tax returns or forms are completed.

A person may return to the centre with an enquiry about their tax return or notice of assessment. You should explain to the client that Tax Help volunteers can't provide any further help and advise them they can either:

• check the progress of their return in ATO online services
• check the progress of their return in the ATO app
• phone the individual enquiries line on 13 28 61.

Conflict resolution

Sometimes, conflict may arise between you and a representative of the Tax Help centre. This may include issues around appointment rostering or people consistently arriving for appointments unprepared. If you're unable to resolve an issue with the centre coordinator or nominee, or are uncomfortable discussing it with them, contact Tax Help.

Conducting a Tax Help appointment

Adequate preparation will help ensure the Tax Help appointment runs smoothly.

Find out what you need for:

• Rostering
• Preparing for the appointment
• Greeting the client
• Encouraging participation
• Showing what is available online
• Loss of internet connection

Rostering

We suggest that when you first start as a Tax Help volunteer, you set aside a longer time for each appointment – for example, 45 minutes. As tax time progresses and you feel more comfortable, this may be reduced upon discussion with the centre coordinator.

A minimum of 3 or 4 appointments should be scheduled for each half day. Don’t forget to include time for meal or refreshment breaks if appointments span several hours.

If the centre is available and you wish to take appointments outside the hours of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, discuss this with Tax Help. Our support is not available outside these hours.

Ensure that you have a conversation with the centre coordinator about the best way for them to contact you to let you know about your appointments.

If you can't attend an appointment, it is important that you notify the centre as soon as possible. This will allow time to arrange for another volunteer or reschedule the appointment. If you're unable to contact the centre, contact Tax Help.

If you're going to be unavailable for a substantial period of time, advise Tax Help as soon as possible.

Preparing for the appointment

To make sure you are prepared for your first appointment, make sure you:

• display your name badge
• have an appointment record listing details of your appointments
• arrange seating to allow both you and the taxpayer to view the screen
• have ensured your computer is turned on and working
• have connected your computer to the internet
• have logged in to the Alternate Access Process (AAP)
• have opened the myGov login page
• have pens, paper, ATO contact cards, disclaimers
• have your volunteer and centre ID numbers handy.

Remember, you are not expected to know the answers to all the questions that may ask. It's more important to know how and where to find the answers.

If you have spare time between appointments, browse the ATO website, in particular the pages referred to in the Tax Help training. The more familiar you are, the easier it will be to find information when you need it.

Greeting the client

Your first interaction is important. Making the person feel welcome and relaxed will help you to feel more confident during the appointment. You should:

• greet them with a smile, using their name where appropriate
• introduce yourself – you need only use your first name
• always apologise if you are running late.

Invite them into your office and:

• ensure the client is seated comfortably
• if lodging online:
  • advise the client that myTax will be used to complete and submit their tax return
  • explain that pre-fill will be used where possible, making the process easier and quicker
• if preparing a paper tax return or form:
  • complete a disclaimer, ensuring you explain why before asking the client to sign
  • advise that it is their responsibility to post the completed forms
• offer the opportunity for them complete the tax return themselves.

Encouraging participation

Educating people is a key objective of the Tax Help program. Encourage the person attending to complete their own tax return whenever possible.

You will still need to open ATO online and enter your Tax Help details but the client should be offered the opportunity to input information themselves. If they choose to do this, you should give as much or as little help as they need.

Regardless of whether you or the individual completes the tax return, you must enter your volunteer and centre ID to indicate that it was a Tax Help assisted lodgment.

Start by asking about the documents they have brought with them. Check the dates and names and ensure that all the documents relate to the the relevant income year.

Show them how to group their documents:

• all income, such as payment summaries, dividend and managed fund statements
• items relating to deductions, such as receipts and travel diaries
• private health insurance statement and details of medical expenses
• spouse information
• bank account details.

Remind them that documents may contain more than one piece of information – for example, a payment summary may also show an allowance or union fees. Point out any examples of these to the client.

If they prefer you to complete the tax return, invite them to watch while you input information.

Some of the ways to involve them during the appointment include:

• explaining the benefits of pre-fill and how it uses information held by the ATO to help complete the tax return
• showing all pre-fill information and asking them to confirm it's correct (where possible, check against their documents)
• asking them to read information from their documents for you to enter
• allowing them to read the information shown on each screen
• demonstrating how to navigate the system
• showing how to access help content and explaining how it can answer common questions
• explaining each step during verification and lodgment
• encouraging questions
• asking whether they feel confident enough to lodge their own tax return next year.

Showing what is available online

Volunteers can show people the online services they can use to manage their tax and superannuation.

Due to time constraints, you may not be able to demonstrate all services. At a minimum, you should show how to check the progress of a tax return, update personal details and find and manage super online.

You can't provide advice on managing super. Professional advice should be sought if needed.

Explain that ATO online services can be used to:

• check the progress of a tax return
• view and update personal details including change of name and contact details
• find and manage super
• view, print or amend a tax return (from 2015 onwards)
• view a notice of assessment
• lodge a tax return using myTax – or tell us if you don’t need to lodge a tax return
• lodge a refund of franking credits application
• make a payment or create a payment plan
• view their tax and activity statement account balance and transactions
• view their study and training support loan account balance and transactions
• receive most personal ATO correspondence in the myGov Inbox instead of by mail.

Loss of internet connection

Tax Help is an online service and requires a secure, reliable internet connection. While connection issues are generally beyond your control, they may limit what you can do during an appointment. If the internet connection is lost, try the following:

• check if there are other users in the building with the same problem
• check cables are attached and power available
• try to re-establish the connection
• try rebooting the modem by turning it off completely and restarting.

If none of these options work or the internet connection doesn't reset itself in a reasonable amount of time, you may have to consider rescheduling the appointment.

Work with the centre co-ordinator if you need to reschedule appointments. Sometimes, lack of available appointments or constraints on client time may mean you need to refer the client to a Tax Help centre nearby. Ask your co-ordinator for these centres.

Return to: Tax Help program training.