When a working senior fell behind on tax payments, we settled her tax debt and got her square with the IRS.
“Lori” runs her own small business, making ends meet but living just above the poverty line. Over the years, she wasn’t able to keep up with self-employment tax payments to the IRS. Although she didn’t have extra money to spare, Lori wanted to make good on those debts.
So, while Lori worked hard to keep up with present-day tax obligations, we negotiated with the IRS about the back taxes. We proposed a settlement, highlighting IRS regulations which allow for flexibility with taxpayers enduring financial hardships. The IRS accepted, reducing Lori’s back-tax burden to a reasonable amount. This is legal aid’s value: our Low Income Tax Clinic attorney knew, and used, the legal protections which allowed Lori to avoid a financial catastrophe and keep working.
Lori says: “It felt like a weight hanging over my head for years. I was trying to handle this on my own and wasn’t getting anywhere, so I’m extremely grateful for Legal Aid and [our LITC attorney] Tom’s help. Tom was wonderful—making sure I understood everything.”
