CAA Process

My Journey to be a CAA.

We have clients that come in at my Lehigh site that sometimes need an ITIN application. This happens maybe 4-5 times a tax season. We do the application and return, but then the clients have to take an extra step to process their return. Supporting documents have to be authenticated and sent in with the return, or proof of authentication needs to be sent in with the return. So what do the clients then do?

Some mail their original documents with their tax return to the IRS (their passports and birth certificates), but what if they got lost in the mail? That can happen and those are really valuable documents and for some this is their only form of identification so they cant be without it.
Some try to find an agency they have to pay, who knows what they charge
Some go to the local IRS office after making an appointment--they usually have to wait a month or so to be seen

On a SPEC call in the Summer of 2018, I found out VITA volunteers can be CAAs!!! So I requested information on how to do this. I will include the documents below but it boils down to:

Review a training power point done 7/25/19
Complete Application 13551 done and mailed 7/29/19
Complete Forensic training power point followed by Q&A with SPEC rep
Order forensic authentication materials: PO created-- 7/29/19

Special Black light
Special Magnifier
I.D. checking guides for U.S/Canada and International editions

So we thought we would wait another year, see if there is a need in our community--we have 15 sites and wanted to know if the expense was justified (not that its a lot, but we need to make sure first)

Its the Summer of 2019, I submitted my application by mail 7/29/18. I have PO's for all the materials written and waiting to process. I am going to do the forensic training again when I finish this section. We decided we would order 1 set of materials, I would get trained and clients from any site can come to my office, and I do get out and could meet someone at another site if needed. Clients can come from places that aren't VITA to get their documents certified as well. If it goes well, we will get more trained and more supplies for next year. Wish us luck! APPLICATION WAS APPROVED--received notice in September, had to sign a document and send back for them to sign and finalize--Woohoo we are on our way!

Products are in (except the books I will order in January/February as that is when the new edition comes out. The international one gets updated every other year (2021 next time) but the U.S. States/Canada will be updated 2020.