The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic

Dear friends,

My name is Tamara Del Carmen, and I am the Director of Brooklyn A’s Consumer Economic Advocacy Program and also its Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. Over the past five years, the program has grown significantly. I’ve had the honor of aiding hundreds of low to middle income clients in resolving tax controversies and avoid foreclosures, which has helped alleviate burdens for some of our most vulnerable community members.

You’ve heard from my colleague Alex about how legal representation makes a difference for homeowners facing foreclosures. As we start to recover from the pandemic, we are uncovering various issues that uniquely and dramatically impact low-income taxpayers. Some of the most prevalent issues we are seeing on the ground resulting from the pandemic include:

• Issues with the economic impact payment (EIP) through the CARES Act:
  • Taxpayers not receiving payments, receiving the incorrect amount, or payments being issued to the wrong person.
  • Innocent/Injured spouse issues, where payments are being sent to an abusive spouse who claimed the other spouse and/or children.
  • Non-filers not receiving payments they are due.
  • Identity theft related issues.
• Taxpayers defaulting on established IRS payment plans.
• A rise in the number of tax controversies faced by domestic violence survivors.
• An increase in the number of individuals’ eligible for and seeking our services due to a drastic change in financial circumstances.

Brooklyn A has been steadfastly addressing these issues throughout the pandemic. We have been helping our clients overcome barriers to access their economic stimulus payments, such as language, technology proficiency, and ability to navigate and understand the IRS and the tax system.

To request the assistance of our Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, you may reach out to [email protected] or (718) 487-2300.

If you have the means, would you consider contributing $10 or $100 to support our work?

Any amount you can give helps us cover the costs that pay for direct legal assistance for low-income taxpayers. We need you to help us meet the need and support our ability to continue being a trusted resource!

Thank you,

Tamara Del Carmen
Tax Clinic Director, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Director, Consumer and Economic Advocacy Program