Suddenly you’re scrolling calendar invites, digging through notes, trying to remember if that intake was 30 minutes or 90. It’s not hard work, it’s just messy work.
That’s the real job Form 13424-F does. It turns “I think I helped for a few hours” into a clean, auditable record.
Key Takeaways
- Form 13424-F is an official IRS form titled “Volunteer / Pro Bono Time Reporting” and it’s one page.
- It’s mainly used in the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) world to track donated time for program requirements and reporting.
- The current form is Rev. April 2010 (shown as Form 13424-F (4-2010)), and the IRS forms library shows it as posted July 17, 2012.
- You do not file Form 13424-F with your tax return. It’s a recordkeeping and reporting tool.
- Volunteer time itself is not tax-deductible, but some unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses can be deductible if you itemize and meet IRS rules.
The fastest way to lose trust in a process is to “track it later.” Form 13424-F is what “track it now” looks like, in a format the IRS already recognizes.
What Is Form 13424-F?
Form 13424-F is the IRS’s Volunteer / Pro Bono Time Reporting form. It’s designed to document the time volunteers and pro bono professionals spend on client work and related activities, using consistent categories.
On the form itself, the IRS states it’s used to document time volunteers or pro bono members use to resolve a client’s issue(s), and it references LITC tracking requirements.
What it’s for (plain English)
You use Form 13424-F to create a simple paper trail that answers:
- Who did the work (volunteer’s name)
- When the work happened (activity date)
- Which client/case it relates to (case ID, if applicable)
- What kind of work it was (consulting, representation, research, translation, outreach, intake, etc.)
- How many hours were spent (in hours, by activity category)
It’s a time log, but it’s structured enough that someone else can review it and trust it.
Who Uses Form 13424-F (and Why)
This form shows up most often with Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) and similar programs that need consistent documentation for donated time.
The IRS’s Internal Revenue Manual even includes a direct note suggesting Form 13424-F as a way to track donated time when a clinic’s procedures are not strong enough.
Common users
- Volunteer attorneys supporting taxpayer representation
- CPAs and enrolled agents (EAs) doing pro bono tax controversy help
- Clinic coordinators and program managers who need totals by volunteer, case, or time period
- Supervisors who need a consistent format to verify hours
Why it matters more than people expect
Hours tracking can feel “administrative,” but it often connects to real outcomes:
- Grant or program reporting
- Volunteer recognition and retention
- Internal review and compliance checks
- Avoiding last-minute backtracking when reports are due
This is one of those small operations habits that keeps a program stable.
Release Date and “Is This Still Valid?”
Here’s the clean way to say it, without guessing.
- The PDF is labeled Form 13424-F (4-2010) and “Rev. April 2010.”
- In the IRS forms library, the entry for Form 13424-F shows Revision Date: Apr 2010 and Posted Date: 07/17/2012.
So yes, it’s an official IRS form and it’s still hosted by the IRS. Also yes, it’s an older revision.
What that does not mean is that it’s “a form for filing your 2023 taxes” (or any other year). It’s a tracking form. You use it when your program requires it, or when it makes your reporting cleaner.
Where to Download Form 13424-F (Safest Option)
You’ll see Form 13424-F hosted on various third-party form sites. Some of those copies are fine, but if you want the cleanest, safest route, use the IRS PDF.
The official IRS PDF is f13424f.pdf.
Quick download checklist (so you don’t waste time)
- Confirm the title says “Volunteer / Pro Bono Time Reporting.”
- Confirm the footer shows “Form 13424-F (4-2010)” and Catalog Number 54952J.
- Save a blank copy somewhere your team can find again next month.
How to Fill Out Form 13424-F (Step by Step)
Form 13424-F is refreshingly simple. It’s one page. No instructions booklet. No “Schedule A for Schedule B.”
But the simplicity is also the trap. When people mess this up, it’s usually because they treat it like a casual note instead of a record someone else will rely on.
Here’s a practical, low-friction way to fill it out so it stays useful.
Step 1: Add the volunteer’s name
The form starts with Volunteer’s Name.
Best practice: use the person’s full name as it appears in your clinic or program roster. Consistency matters if you later need totals by volunteer.
Step 2: Add the activity date
Next is Activity Date.
Best practice: log the date the work happened, not the date you remembered to do paperwork. If a program ever needs to reconcile activity by reporting period, this is what keeps you out of trouble.
Step 3: Add the Case ID (if applicable)
The form includes Case ID (if applicable).
If your program uses case numbers, use them. If it doesn’t, don’t force it. You can also align this with whatever your internal system uses (matter number, client ID, intake reference).
Step 4: Log hours by activity type (the part people rush)
This is the heart of the form. The categories include items like:
- Consult with client
- Represent before the IRS
- Represent in Court
- Court Filing
- Prepare IRS Appeal
- Research
- Translation
- Outreach
- Clerical assistance
- Return Prep
- Intake
- Education
Best practice: treat this like time entry. If you did 1.5 hours total, split it honestly across categories. That’s what makes the data usable later.
Step 5: Add totals
The bottom of the form includes TOTALS.
Double-check the math. Not because you’ll get “audited” as a volunteer, but because totals are usually what the program needs for reporting.
What Information You Should Gather Before You Start
This form is easiest when you fill it out right after the work is done. If you’re doing it at the end of the week (or month), gather this first:
- Calendar entries or appointment notes
- Case/matter ID (if your program assigns one)
- Quick summary of what you did (consult, research, representation)
- Your time estimate while it’s still fresh
A simple “done in 90 seconds” workflow
If you want this to be painless, use this routine:
- Immediately after the call/meeting, jot the minutes spent.
- Convert minutes to hours (e.g., 45 minutes becomes 0.75).
- Enter it into the form the same day.
- Save the PDF using a consistent file name.
That’s it. That’s how you avoid the “what did I do last month?” scramble.
Common Mistakes That Make the Form Hard to Trust
Small errors can turn Form 13424-F into something nobody wants to rely on.
Here are the mistakes we see most often (and how to avoid them):
- Lumping multiple days into one line item If your program needs detail, log activity by date. It’s clearer, and it matches how most reporting periods work.
- Leaving the case ID blank when your program uses case IDs This makes reconciliation harder later, especially when multiple volunteers touch the same matter.
- Throwing everything into “clerical” or “consult” Use the categories as intended. It helps the program understand what kind of help was delivered, not just how much.
- Rounding too aggressively Rounding a 20-minute check-in to “1 hour” sounds harmless until it happens 30 times. Keep it clean.
- Backdating from memory If you’re guessing, label it internally as an estimate and tighten your process going forward.
Does Form 13424-F Create a Tax Deduction?
This is where a lot of articles get sloppy, so let’s be careful.
Volunteer time is not deductible
The IRS is clear that you cannot deduct the value of your time or services as a charitable contribution. Publication 526 even gives a straight example, “Can I deduct $60 a week for my time?” and the answer is no.
The IRS also states the same concept in its guidance for volunteers working disaster relief, the value of time and services is not deductible.
Some out-of-pocket volunteer expenses may be deductible
Even though your time isn’t deductible, some unreimbursed expenses can be deductible if they’re directly connected to the volunteer service and meet IRS rules. Publication 526 outlines the conditions.
Examples (depending on facts):
- Supplies you purchased and were not reimbursed for
- Certain uniform costs (if required and not suitable for everyday wear)
- Travel costs tied directly to providing the volunteer services
Mileage rate for charitable driving (good to know for 2026)
As of January 1, 2026, the IRS confirmed the charitable mileage rate remains 14¢ per mile (set by statute).
Important note: Tax rules are detail-heavy. Whether you can deduct anything depends on the organization, your itemizing status, substantiation, and the type of expense. If deductions are part of why you’re tracking anything, talk to a tax pro.
Filing, Submission, and Deadlines (What Actually Happens)
One of the biggest misconceptions is thinking Form 13424-F “goes to the IRS.”
In most cases, it doesn’t.
Form 13424-F is a program record. Your clinic, sponsor, or coordinating organization tells you:
- whether to submit it,
- how often,
- and who signs off.
The IRS does not present it as something you attach to an individual tax return. What the IRS does show is that this form exists for volunteer/pro bono time reporting and it’s recognized in the LITC operating environment.
Typical submission cadences you’ll see
Programs set their own rhythm. Common patterns include:
- Monthly submission (keeps reporting clean)
- Quarterly submission (common for organizations with quarterly grant reporting)
- Year-end only (the “please don’t make me remember everything in December” option)
If you manage the program, pick the cadence that avoids backlogs. If you’re a volunteer, follow the program’s rule and keep a copy.
Recordkeeping: How Long Should You Keep Form 13424-F?
There isn’t one universal retention rule that fits everyone because this form can support different types of reporting.
Here’s a practical way to think about it:
- If it supports grant reporting, keep it at least as long as the grant or sponsor requires.
- If it supports financial match documentation or formal program reviews, keep it long enough to cover that review cycle.
- If it supports any tax deduction claims (usually for out-of-pocket expenses, not time), keep it long enough to substantiate your return.
The IRS’s volunteer recordkeeping guidance for deductible out-of-pocket expenses stresses keeping written, reliable records created around the time the expense was incurred.
A simple retention approach most programs can live with
If you need a baseline policy (and your sponsor doesn’t specify one), many organizations choose something like:
- Keep signed PDFs for 3 to 7 years, depending on program needs and legal counsel advice.
If you’re unsure, ask your program lead. It’s better to be slightly over-organized than to have no records when someone asks for them.
How to Store Form 13424-F Securely (Without Turning It Into a Project)
Even though Form 13424-F is “just hours,” it can still include sensitive context like case IDs, and those case IDs can be linkable to client matters.
So treat storage with basic discipline.
Practical security checklist
- Store the completed PDF in a restricted folder (least privilege, only people who need it).
- Use a standard naming convention so files can be found quickly.
- Avoid local-only storage if your program has turnover, laptops get replaced, and people leave.
Here’s a naming convention that works well:
- 13424-F_VolunteerName_YYYY-MM-DD_CaseID.pdf
E-signatures: allowed or not?
Form 13424-F itself is a PDF. Whether an electronic signature is acceptable depends on your sponsor or organization’s internal policy.
If you’re managing the program, write this rule down clearly:
- “Wet signature required” or “E-sign acceptable, audit trail required.”
Clarity beats debate.
A Quick Table: What to Track, Why It Matters, and What Breaks When You Don’t
| What you track on Form 13424-F | Why it matters | What breaks when it’s missing |
| Volunteer’s name | Totals, reporting, recognition | Duplicate records, missing hours |
| Activity date | Reporting period accuracy | Backdating, mismatched quarters |
| Case ID (if applicable) | Traceability to matters | Confusing totals, poor audit trail |
| Hours by category | Shows what work was done | “All time looks the same,” weaker reporting |
| Total hours | Roll-ups for dashboards and reports | Manual recalculation, errors |
This is why one-page forms stay popular. You get structure without a full timesheet system.
How This Connects to Delivery (and Why It Matters to Accounting Teams)
If you’re reading this on Accountably.com, you already know the bigger theme.
Most firms and programs don’t fall apart because people don’t care. They fall apart because process gets fuzzy, and fuzzy process creates late work, rework, review loops, and burnout.
Time tracking is the same story in miniature.
When you treat documentation like an afterthought, you end up with:
- missing support,
- unclear ownership,
- and last-minute scrambles that feel avoidable (because they are).
At Accountably, we spend a lot of time helping accounting teams build delivery systems that don’t collapse under volume. Form 13424-F is not an offshore delivery topic, but the mindset is identical. Capacity without structure turns into chaos.
So if you’re running a clinic or managing volunteers, the takeaway is simple:
- Don’t wait for the report deadline to create the record.
When to Use Form 13424-F vs. Another Volunteer Log
Form 13424-F is helpful, but it’s not the only way to track volunteer work. Use it when its structure matches your needs.
Use Form 13424-F when you need consistency
Form 13424-F is a great fit when:
- Your program wants a standard IRS-recognized format for tracking donated time.
- You want categories that already match common clinic work (consult, research, outreach, intake, etc.).
- You need something volunteers can complete quickly without learning a new system.
Use a different tool when you need deeper operational tracking
A basic one-page form starts to strain when you need:
- task codes by project
- approvals by multiple supervisors
- time capture tied to client outcomes, not just hours
- automatic roll-ups by month/quarter without manual work
If you’re at that stage, you may still keep Form 13424-F as a backup or for audit readiness, but you’ll rely on a system (timekeeping software, case management platform, or workflow tools) for daily operations.
“Valid for 2023 taxes” and other confusing claims you might see online
Some third-party sites label forms with language like “valid for filing 2023 taxes.”
Here’s the clearer interpretation for Form 13424-F:
- The form is official and hosted by the IRS.
- It is not presented as a form you file with Form 1040 or attach to a return.
- It can still be used in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 as a time reporting record, if your organization accepts it.
If your question is “Will this form help me claim a deduction for my volunteer hours?” the answer is no, volunteer time itself isn’t deductible.
Common Form 13424-F Mistakes (and quick fixes)
Mistake 1: Treating categories as optional
Fix: pick the category that best describes the work. If you did multiple things, split the time across categories.
Mistake 2: Forgetting to capture “small” time
Those quick 10-minute calls and short emails add up.
Fix: track them on the day they happen. If you wait, they disappear.
Mistake 3: No internal review, no spot checks
If you manage a program, don’t assume every form will be completed consistently.
Fix: do a monthly spot check of a small sample. Look for:
- missing dates
- totals that don’t add up
- inconsistent case IDs
- obvious rounding patterns
Mistake 4: Over-collecting sensitive info
Form 13424-F doesn’t ask for client names, and that’s a feature.
Fix: avoid adding extra personal data in file names or notes. Use case IDs where your program already has access controls.
FAQs (People Also Ask)
What is IRS Form 13424-F used for?
Form 13424-F is used to record volunteer and pro bono time, mainly in the context of Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) and similar programs. It logs the volunteer’s name, activity date, case ID (if applicable), and hours by activity category.
Do I file Form 13424-F with my tax return?
Usually, no. Form 13424-F is a time reporting and documentation form, not something the IRS describes as an attachment to Form 1040. You submit it based on your program’s rules and keep copies for your records.
Can Form 13424-F help me claim a tax deduction for volunteering?
It can support good recordkeeping, but it does not make your volunteer time deductible. The IRS says you can’t deduct the value of your services, but you may be able to deduct some unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenses if you meet IRS requirements.
Where can I download the official Form 13424-F PDF?
You can download it from the IRS as a one-page PDF labeled Form 13424-F (4-2010) with Catalog Number 54952J.
What’s the charitable mileage rate for volunteer driving in 2026?
For January 1, 2026 and onward, the IRS confirmed the charitable mileage rate remains 14¢ per mile.