Jan 23rd 2008, 08:36

Afford Professional Tax Help

Free or low-cost services available from Low Income Taxpayer Clinics

If you're having tax troubles but can't afford an accountant or a tax lawyer to speak on your behalf before the IRS, you can request free or low-cost assistance from the Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC) Program. The program has volunteers from non-profit organizations and law or business schools who can provide you with professional assistance during your tax audits, appeals, and collection disputes.

The program also offers workshops to help taxpayers who use English as their secondary language to better understand their tax rights and responsibilities. These workshops are conducted throughout the country and serves specific languages like Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Somali, Hindi, and others.

The LITC was launched by the IRS Restructuring and Reform of 1998. The clinics are funded in part by the IRS, but the clinics and the volunteers are not associated with the federal government. The clinics are managed by non-profit organizations and academic institutions like law schools or business schools.

To be eligible, you must meet the income poverty guidelines and other criteria. Since each clinic independently determines which applicants qualify, it's best to get in touch with an LITC clinic nearest you.

You can locate LITCs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam through this site: http://www.irs.gov/advocate/content/0,,id=151026,00.html

 

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