“Jonathan” is a working dad. His wife, the kids’ biological mother, had spiraled into addiction, become abusive, and then abandoned Jonathan and the children. As he picked up the pieces, Jonathan petitioned to become the children’s legal guardian and resolved to care for them.

Jonathan was waiting on an IRS income tax refund to help meet living expenses. But instead of receiving his refund, he got IRS letters saying the agency was reviewing his records. After months passed with no updates and no refund, Jonathan contacted our Low Income Tax Clinic for help. Our LITC attorney figured out that one of Jonathan’s employers had not reported income information to the IRS. We worked with Jonathan to get the info and send it to the IRS’s reviewers.

Finally(!), Jonathan received the refund he deserved: over $12,000. It helped him and the kids during a very difficult time: the family was grieving the death of Jonathan’s wife, who had passed away. About getting LAWM’s help, Jonathan says, “My family had a really tough year, with the kids losing their mother, and I just didn't know how to deal with the IRS... thank your whole team, you all are amazing.”