Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is seeking law students and attorneys to assist with its Low Income Taxpayer Assistance Project (LITAP). LITAP is an innovative way to help low-wage workers increase their income.The project assists the low-wage community in accessing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and thereby taps into the federal government’s largest anti-poverty program. LITAP combines the resources of a legal services program, students, pro bono attorneys, pro bono tax preparers and community agencies to provide critical legal assistance and tax help to low-wage taxpayers, many of whom speak little or no English. A significant number of low-wage workers need legal and tax expertise regarding taxes. This help is needed to increase their knowledge and understanding about their rights to important tax credits – including the EITC and the Child Tax Credit as well as their responsibilities to file and pay taxes. They also often need assistance to resolve controversies with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and related Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) controversies.
The project anticipates assisting approximately 200 clients in 2011-2012. The project interviews clients to determine what type of services they need (assistance in resolving tax controversies, limited tax advice, or tax return preparation), and prioritizes cases for representation and/or referral. Depending on their need, clients are referred either to students, pro bono attorneys who are trained in tax law for tax controversy representation, or to pro bono accountants to assist GBLS in its representation, or to tax preparation sites. Tax controversies may include such issues as ITIN applications, liens, levies, audits, counseling regarding the tax consequences of settlement awards or divorce, filing and/or amending past returns, and entering into payment plans, including requesting non-collectible status and offers in compromise.
With assistance from the private bar, GBLS conducts substantive, formal CLE seminar on tax law to help assist students, pro bono attorneys and accountants. GBLS provides support to the attorneys who handle the referred cases, particularly on the special issues they may encounter when assisting the project’s immigrant clients. Trainings are provided on topics affecting low income taxpayers, such as Greater Boston Legal Services – LITAP Pro Bono how to handle EITC audits, collections, innocent spouse relief, ITINS, and misclassifications. The project also works with the City of Boston and Chelsea EITC Campaigns to train volunteer tax preparers.
To learn how you can get involved visit the CSO Symplicity Site Job ID 7317