Services

Low-Income Taxpayers Clinic (LITC)

The Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. (CLSMF) Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) may be able to help you with your tax problems.

The program is designed to help low-income taxpayers with federal controversies under $50,000. Although this program does not assist with tax preparation for the current tax year, we can help with a number of other tax issues:

• Earned Income Tax Credit
• IRS Audits
• Innocent Spouse Relief and Injured Spouse Relief claims
• Deficiency Notices
• Liens and Levies
• Responding to letters from the IRS
• Other Controversies with Federal Income Taxes

Many of the cases we handle can be resolved simply by filling out a form and making sure the math calculations are accurate. Others may be more complex, requiring a more substantial amount of time and effort. We never charge a fee for our services.

How to get help

You must meet the following criteria in order to qualify for this program:

• Your tax issue must be a controversy. This means that you must have an issue involving past tax years. Your problem may be that the IRS notified you that you are being audited, your refund is being withheld by the IRS, or the IRS placed a lien on your property for owed taxes. 
• The back taxes owed or the amount the IRS is questioning cannot exceed $50,000 for any one tax year. In other words, if the IRS is questioning three years of returns, the amount of each year cannot be over $50,000 in taxes owed, or a total of $150,000 for the three-year period.
• You must not have an annual income above the following amounts according to your family size: 

For each additional person, add $7,950

The Process

There is a simple eight-step process to receive FREE help with your tax issue:

1. Review the program criteria above to see if you qualify. 
2. If you qualify, or if you’re unsure whether or not you qualify, call Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. at 1-866-886-1799.
3. If you qualify, we will make an appointment with you to speak with a case handler. All appointments are confidential.
4. When you arrive for your appointment, bring all the papers you have related to your tax issue (copies of tax returns, letters from the IRS, etc.)
5. During your intake (initial) appointment, we will verify that you qualify for our program.
6. We will then take copies of your paperwork and have you sign paperwork necessary to take your case. After a few days, you will receive an acceptance letter from us.
7. Once you are accepted, we will find you a pro bono (volunteer) tax professional — a tax attorney, CPA, or other tax professional — to assist you in resolving your problem.
8. Contact your assigned tax professional as soon as you receive your letter.

This process can take a few weeks. Although we do our best to find a tax professional in your area, please be aware that you may need to travel to meet your assigned tax professional.

- Putting Justice in Everyone’s Reach -