“Our clients trusted the out-of-state return preparer and had no idea they were filing improperly,” according to Shawn Richter, Director of the Tax & Economic Justice Program at the Clinic. When the IRS caught wind of the scheme and opened an audit, the couple was overwhelmed at the idea of paying back a huge liability they could not afford. They also worried that it would destroy their credit and they would never be able to purchase a home. In their moment of greatest need the couple learned about the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic. 

Kick off your Tax Season by reading this blog post from Clinic Director of Tax and Economic Justice Shawn Richter. Learn these important facts for all taxpayers, and discover helpful filing options for low-income taxpayers.

This March, we highlighted our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. We featured stories of our clients, volunteers, and staff; shared information on where to get free help with completing your taxes; and gave you important tips and updates on how to avoid common scams.

“It has been my experience that the Internal Revenue Code is extremely complex and not everyone can afford counsel when they have an issue,” he says. He began looking at alternatives for those who could not afford their own counsel and learned about the history of Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) through the IRS website. Dave was intrigued. He immediately searched for the nearest LITC, which just happened to be part of Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic.

One of the services we provide through our Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) is to represent people in the U.S. Tax Court. If you are selected for an IRS examination or audit, the IRS will take a closer look at your tax return to determine if there are any discrepancies or errors. At the end of this process, taxpayers are told if they still owe money. If they do not agree with the results of the IRS exam, they have 90 days to file in Tax Court.  

What I love most about my work here at the Clinic are the sweet and precious moments—God moments—that I get to experience with my clients during the journey of a tax case. Just last week, I had two of these experiences.