The IRS has announced the application period for Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) grants for calendar year 2019 is now open and will run through June 27, 2018. A listing of the 2018 LITC grant recipients is available on IRS.gov.

The mission of LITCs is to ensure the fairness and integrity of the tax system for taxpayers who are low income or speak English as a second language:

• By providing pro bono representation on their behalf in tax disputes with the IRS;
• By educating them about their rights and responsibilities as taxpayers; and
• By identifying and advocating for issues that impact low income taxpayers.

The IRS welcomes all applications and will ensure that each application receives full consideration. The IRS is committed to achieving maximum access to representation for low income taxpayers under the terms of the LITC program. Thus, in awarding LITC grants for calendar year 2019, the IRS will continue to work toward the following program goals:

• Obtaining coverage for the states of Hawaii, North Dakota, and the territory of Puerto Rico to ensure that each state (plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) has at least one clinic;
• Expanding coverage to counties in the following areas that are currently not being served by an LITC:  mid-Florida, northeast Arizona, northern Pennsylvania, and southeast New York (not including boroughs of New York City); and
• Ensuring that grant recipients demonstrate they are serving geographic areas that have sizable populations eligible for and requiring LITC services.

The complete program requirements and application instructions can be found in Publication 3319 on www.irs.gov.

Source: taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov