Free Legal Tax Advice

The IRS offers free publications, forms, and tools to help taxpayers: Federal and State Tax Assistance: AARP`s tax assistance program, a partnership between the AARP Foundation and the Internal Revenue Service, provides middle- and low-income tax advisors with free tax advisory and preparation services with a special focus on individuals 60 years of age and older. Click on the Tax-Help site locator, which will take you to the AARP website for location and time information. Many websites will submit your federal and Connecticut returns electronically for free. The Connecticut Department of Tax Services is proud to provide training and materials to Tax-Aid volunteers. The Public Service Tax Assistance Endowment Fund (TAPS) provides stable, long-term funding for the Department of Taxation`s tax-related public service programs. The TAPS Endowment Fund primarily supports the Christine A. Brunswick Public Service Fellowship Program, which provides two-year scholarships to law school graduates to work for nonprofit organizations that provide tax legal aid to underserved communities. To date, the TAPS Endowment Fund has supported nearly 20 recipients who have dedicated decades of service and unique projects to improving services to low-income taxpayers. Not only have recipients achieved impressive results, but many have secured positions in the area of tax assistance for low-income individuals and continue to serve low-income communities and train a new generation of law students to deliver these services after their scholarships. Other fellows have worked for U.S. Treasury Court judges who value their experience working with underserved taxpayers and their first-hand perspectives on low-income tax issues. Fellows who practice tax law in other contexts, such as large law firms and government, continue to contribute to the tax department by continuing to be active in pro bono initiatives, speaking on boards of directors, chairing committees, writing commentary, and mentoring fellows and other new lawyers. This program has been incredibly successful, both in supporting taxpayers who might otherwise be unrepresented, in implementing systemic changes in local communities, and in providing a springboard for careers in low-income tax services.

Consider donating to the TAPS Endowment Fund today. Your generous support will help the Section continue its mission of providing legal assistance to those in need. If you need help with your taxes, you may be eligible for Volunteer Tax Assistance (VITA) or the Tax Advisory Program for Seniors (TCE). The IRS also offers free online tools to reduce your taxes. First Virtual Resolution Week Join our first Virtual Resolution Week, where volunteers help taxpayers meet with the IRS about a possible resolution of their tax disputes. To learn more and register, click here. The tax department is happy to help tax lawyers find meaningful pro bono opportunities. Below are descriptions of some of the programs we use to connect members with volunteer work. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about your area of interest or geography, and we`ll do our best to help you find an opportunity that matches your interests and background and Help Center – Learn more about the many free services and resources the IRS offers taxpayers. What can you expect from free tax software? The program calculates your taxes, deductions and credits and produces your taxes electronically. The state tax return may not be available in a free version.

You should always read the description of the program to make sure it handles more complicated tasks when you need them, such as business expenses for the self-employed. If the free versions don`t include the features you need, consider comparing prices on the internet for a product that does. Low-Income Taxpayer Clinics (LCIs) are programs in law schools, accounting schools, or legal aid offices that provide legal assistance and representation to low-income taxpayers who are in conflict with the IRS. Some CILT are not-for-profit organizations that offer municipal tax education programs to reach residents whose primary language is other than English. These organizations can offer free tax preparation services as part of their program. Find out if you qualify for free help with your tax returns. You don`t have to file your taxes yourself if you don`t earn enough to hire an accountant or pay for software. You can get free help from tax offices and the IRS phone line, voluntary tax preparation centers, and free versions of popular tax preparation programs. * The DRS does not help you complete your federal return. You may be eligible for free assistance from the Internal Revenue Service ((800) 829-1040) or one of the organizations listed below. If you are not eligible for free legal representation, you may contact the Law Association at masslawhelp.com or (866) 627-7577 for a referral.

The IRS trains volunteers to help you file your taxes. While there is an income limit for the Volunteer Tax Assistance (VIC) program for most taxpayers, current members of the Armed Forces can use it for free, regardless of income. To find a location, visit the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance page on the IRS website or call 800-906-9887. The Tax Clinic is a pro bono (free) legal clinic that provides free legal aid to low-income taxpayers with tax issues, either through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or through the Connecticut Department of Tax Services (DRS). Diana Leyden, Director and Clinical Associate Professor, and law students will work on your case. The Tax Clinic also works with Connecticut lawyers who volunteer to help low-income taxpayers on a pro bono basis. Have you seen a number of ads recently that talk about paying past tax debts for a fraction of what you owe, but you still can`t afford the fees? Clinics for low-income taxpayers could help. The services of the low-income taxpayer clinic are free or inexpensive, depending on income eligibility, and can help taxpayers in disputes with the IRS. It is also probably more reliable than many tax processing companies.

If you have a lower income, many LTCTs can provide legal representation for disputes with the IRS. Access our library of complete webinar recordings and slides from past pro bono webinars! The Tax Service is pleased to offer free educational programs related to the representation of low-income taxpayers through practitioners in low-income clinics and volunteer lawyers. We regularly offer continuing and non-continuing education sessions on a wide range of topics: from a comprehensive newcomer series to debt collection cases, to appearing in tax court, to current issues affecting low-income taxpayers, presented by the best experts in the field during our Tax Section sessions. Recordings of these sessions are also available for free – just click the link above to take a look! To participate in live programs and/or purchase these sessions as a CLE on demand, please create a free ABA member account and register for the Tax Section and the pro bono community and tax clinics on Tax Connect. You will be added to our community of over 1,000 low-income accountants and receive communications about our educational programs. Members of the tax department have access to our comprehensive library of publications. Individuals or nonprofit, academic, and government institutions can get a discount on select titles, including the popular Effective Representation Your Client Before the IRS, 8th Edition. Our magazine, The Tax Lawyer, and our members` e-newsletter, ABA Tax Times, often contain interesting articles related to pro bono representation or working in tax clinics for low-income individuals. We have compiled a selection of some of these articles and made them available for free as a public service. And we will continue to add to that list over time. IRS communications can be complex and intimidating.

CILTs can help you respond to these requests or provide you with other legal assistance in tax disputes. Low- and middle-income taxpayers may be eligible for free tax preparation services at an IRS-approved VITA location. Find free statewide legal representation for low-income people. Whether you`re filing a simple tax return, trying to change previous years` returns, or owing money to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you can get free tax advice. From community services to free software, there are many ways to avoid paying taxes yourself.