VITA Resources for Volunteers
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  • Home
  • Training Checklist
    • Ethics & Intake
    • Intake Interview
    • Dependents
    • Filing Status
    • Practice Lab
    • Income >
      • CAPITAL GAINS
      • Self Employed
      • Entering Income
    • Adjustments to Income >
      • HSA
    • Standard Deduction >
      • Itemized Deductions
    • certification
    • Taxes
    • Credits >
      • Non-Refundable
      • refundable credits
      • Education Credit
    • Marketplace
    • Finishing a Return
    • Quality Review & Print Sets
    • Explaining a Return >
      • Refunds
      • Balance Due
  • Study Guides and More
  • Volunteer Agreement
  • PRACTICE SCENARIOS
  • Coordinators
  • Amendment
  • Spanish/Espanol Training
  • Foreign Student
  • W-7 ITIN APPLICATION
  • FAFSA
  • VALET & VIRTUAL
  • CERT ACCEPT AGENT
  • Financial Literacy
  • LITC
  • CE CREDITS
  • POA
  • Transcripts
  • Interpreters
  • MASKED TRANSCRIPTS
  • Misc Info
  • Customer Portal
  • PRESEASON WORKSHOP
  • For Clients
  • New Host Site Info
  • Missing SSA-1099
  • United Way of Lee, Hendry & Glades
  • ID.ME
  • Age Reference
  • RECORDING OF TRAININGS
  • Changes

Practice Lab
OUR PRACTICE VERSION OF oNLINE SOFTWARE

Practice Lab is available 24/7-365 so you can go in and get used to the software, enter scenarios for fun or to enter scenarios for the certification tests. There are a few ways to access the practice lab.
  • The software will generally be updated  to the new tax year (tax tables, credits, forms, etc) mid November.  Please note--it will not be 100% updated until closer to mid-January as the IRS and congress keep making changes and have to approve certain forms--which never seem to be done timely.  BUT-- use the software as much as you can-- get used to it, just know there may be some calculations that might be off--they generally advise us when there are issues like this.
  • Remember, the more you play with the software, the better! You will be more familiar with it and the more confident.
  • You cannot mess anything up in the Practice Lab--it IS NOT LIVE!! You cannot accidentally e-file a return. SO PLAY PLAY PLAY--CHANGE VALUES AND SEE HOW REFUNDS AND CREDITS CHANGE!
  • The password for everyone to access is TRAINPROWEB  (write this down)

There are 2 ways to easily access Practice Lab--choose what works best for you:

Access through IRS's linklearncertification.com
Or through Taxslayer's VITA Springboard vita.taxslayerpro.com
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To gain access you need this password: TRAINPROWEB  Then, create an account
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Once you have accessed Practice Lab you will see this screen.
FYI--There are 6 sections with training resources if you want to review them--
  • Section 1,2,3, and 5 are more for program managers and coordinators--you can disregard these.
  • Section 4 & 6 are areas for tax preparers and reviewers --Section 4 shows how to do certain things within the software, Section 6 has practice scenarios and recorded webinars. (those get updated end of November-December)
Click on GO TO Practice Area to use the software.
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Tips & Tricks for Taxslayer
  • Use the navigation tree on the left to move around quickly
  • Use the Search feature, it is really useful! Not sure where to enter a 1099-R? Type 1099R in the search engine twala! it appears! Try typing PIN, 1098t, etc. it's a very useful tool
  • Click on the blue numbers on the summary screen to and it will take you back to the screen where you entered the data for quick review/editing and then, when you hit continue, it "should" take you back to the Summary page!
  • After you enter information that generates a Schedule, you will see little printer icons appear on the menu. Click on the printer icon to see what the generated schedule looks like. (Schedule C, Schedule D, Schedule A-itemized deductions, etc.) Great for quick reviews and for catching errors--seeing if your Schedule C is at a loss, etc. 
  • Warning: Most of the time the summary screen does not display accurately as forms change and programming isn't completed--so it is best to generate a PDF of the return to see an accurate view of your return. 

A nice feature in Taxslayer, when you have entered something that generates a Schedule, like a Schedule C for self-employment, or Schedule D for capital Gains, Itemizing for Schedule A, or Interest/Dividends for Schedule B, -- you can quickly view the Schedule from the Income menu without having to go all the way to the summary screen.

Just click the printer icons 
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How to Access Practice Lab, Create a return from beginning to end in Taxslayer. Click Here for Power Point
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Practice Lab
Accessing & Creating A Return
Click Here to Go Back to Training Checklist
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About
Contact Me
You can contact me at maryvitataxes@gmail.com 
Please note: I, Mary Meador, AM NOT a certified accountant or tax law expert. I volunteer with VITA providing free tax preparation for individuals and families whose income is less than $66,000 a year. We deal with simple returns at our sites.  I cannot guarantee the accuracy of all the information on this site as tax laws change and I may not have a clear understanding of complicated issues. I am trying to provide basic tax preparation information for our volunteers to get started--remember Publication 4012 is your go-to resource for questions, as well as irs.gov and Publication 17.  I hope you find this information useful and easy to understand. Thanks for being a VITA/TCE volunteer!​