Ask Effective Questions

Asking questions to obtain information needed to file an accurate return is an essential part of the interview. When asking the first tax-related question in an interview, a good approach is to explain why the tax information is needed. Follow these steps:

• Use open-ended questions that require more than a simple yes or no response.
• Do not make assumptions about taxpayers—let them speak for themselves
• Avoid "leading" questions that make the taxpayer feel you have a specific answer in mind
• Follow up with questions about answers that require more detail or were ambiguous

Asking open-ended questions lets the taxpayer decide what is important and can help you discover special situations. For example, "What changes have you had this year that might make your tax situation different from last year?"

Click here to read how a volunteer used effective questioning with taxpayer, Robert Johnson. Press the Play Audio button to hear the audio.