The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is available by virtual appointment through tax season to help eligible residents file their taxes.
If your household income in 2020 was $57,000 or less, you could qualify to have your taxes prepared and submitted through this program.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s VITA services will be offered virtually and securely by IRS certified tax preparers, using Adobe Scan, Google Duo, Verifyle, and Zoom to complete returns. Learn more and register for your free appointment.
An in-person VITA site is open at the Dellwood Center in Huntersville by appointment only until April 10. Learn more and make an appointment.
VITA ofrece servicios gratuitos de preparación de impuestos locales
El programa de Asistencia Voluntaria de Impuestos sobre la Renta (VITA por sus siglas en inglés) del IRS está disponible mediante cita virtual durante la temporada de impuestos para ayudar a los residentes elegibles a presentar sus impuestos.
Si el ingreso de su hogar en 2020 fue de $ 57,000 o menos, podría calificar para que se preparen y presenten sus impuestos a través de este programa.
Debido a las restricciones de COVID-19, los preparadores de impuestos certificados por el IRS ofrecerán los servicios VITA de este año de manera virtual y segura, utilizando Adobe Scan, Google Duo, Verifyle y Zoom para completar las declaraciones. Obtenga más información y regístrese para su cita gratuita.
Information about the CARES Act Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Checks)
Posted on
Updated March 11, 2021. Originally posted April 6, 2020
IMPORTANT Notice:
On March 11th, 2021 President Biden signed a the American Rescue Plan that included additional $1400 stimulus checks per eligible individual.
Learn more about the third payments and the American Rescue Plan here.
If you have questions about your stimulus payments, contact Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy by calling 980-202-7329.
Many people anticipate receiving the CARES Act’s Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Checks). Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy wants to make sure you have the information you need to know what to expect and how to get your payment.
Anyone in need of other assistance from Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy can contact us by calling 704-376-1600 (Mecklenburg County), 800-438-1254 (Outside Mecklenburg County) or 800-247-1931 (Linea de Español).
Who is eligible for the payment?
Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals
and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the
full payment.
For filers with income above those amounts, the payment amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$150,000 thresholds. Single filers with income exceeding $80,000 and $160,000 for joint filers with no children are not eligible.
Eligible taxpayers who filed tax returns for either 2020 or 2019 will automatically receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,400 for individuals or $2,800 for married couples. Households also receive $1400 for each qualifying dependent.
Will the IRS take my payment if I have outstanding IRS debts, federal student loans or other government debts?
No. As with second-round checks, third stimulus checks will not be reduced to pay child support arrears either.
How will the IRS calculate my payment?
The American Rescue Plan provides that if your 2020 tax return is not filed and processed by the time the IRS starts processing your third stimulus payment, the tax agency will use information from your 2019 tax return. If your 2020 return is already filed and processed when the IRS is ready to send your payment, then your stimulus check eligibility and amount will be based on information from your 2020 return.
If your 2020 return is filed and/or processed after the IRS sends you a stimulus check, but before July 15, 2021 (or September 1 if the April 15 filing deadline is pushed back), the IRS will send you a second payment for the difference between what your payment should have been if based on your 2020 return and the payment sent based on your 2019 return.
Most people do not need to take any action. The IRS will calculate and automatically send the payment to those eligible.
How will the IRS know where to send my payment?
The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on your tax return filed.
The IRS does not have my direct deposit information. What can I do?
The IRS has an online portal, Get My Payment, for individuals to:
Check their payment status
Confirm their payment type: direct deposit or check
Enter their bank account information for direct deposit if the IRS doesn’t have their direct deposit information and the IRS hasn’t sent their payment yet
Taxpayers only need a few
pieces of information to quickly obtain the status of their payment and, where
needed, provide their bank account information. Having a copy of their most
recent tax return can help speed the process.
For taxpayers to track the
status of their payment, this
feature will show taxpayers the payment amount, scheduled delivery date by
direct deposit or paper check and if a payment hasn’t been scheduled. They will
need to enter basic information including:
Social Security number
Date of birth, and
Mailing address used on their tax return.
Taxpayers needing to add
their bank account information to speed receipt of their payment will also need to
provide the following additional information:
Their Adjusted Gross Income from their most recent tax return submitted, either 2020 or 2019
The refund or amount owed from their latest filed tax return
Bank account type, account and routing numbers
Get My Payment cannot update bank account information after an Economic
Impact Payment has been scheduled for delivery. To help protect against
potential fraud, the tool also does not allow people to change bank account
information already on file with the IRS.
Is providing bank account information to the IRS when paying your tax filing liability good enough?
No, people who paid electronically are going to have to input deposit account information. Go to Get My Payment.
When will payments begin?
Taxpayers with direct deposit information on file with the IRS should see their payment in their bank accounts beginning the week of March 15, 2021, while others might have to wait up to five months to receive paper checks or pre-payed debit cards.
What about taxpayers who don’t have bank accounts?
The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS are working with digital companies and prepaid debit card providers to ensure there are other avenues for those taxpayers get their money quickly.
I receive SS/VA benefits and/or I am not typically required to file a tax return. Can I still receive my payment?
Yes. Individuals who receive Social Security benefits (Social Security retirement, disability income (SSDI), supplemental income (SSI) or Survivors Benefits) or Veterans Affairs benefits (disability compensation, pension or survivors benefits) who didn’t file tax returns in 2020 or 2019 won’t need to file tax returns to receive their payments.
They should receive the additional money just as they would their Social Security or VA benefits. The IRS will use the information provided by the Social Security Administration/VA OR the information you provided with the IRS’ Non-Filers: Enter Your Payment Info to generate the $1,400 Economic Impact Payments. Recipients will get their payment as a direct deposit or by paper check, just as they normally would.
I am not typically required to file a
tax return because I am low-income. Can I still receive my payment?
I have not filed my tax return for 2019 or 2020. Can I still receive a payment?
Yes. The IRS urges anyone with a tax filing obligation who has not yet filed a tax return for 2019 or 2020 to file as soon as they can to receive a payment. Taxpayers should include direct deposit banking information on the return. Visit IRS Free File
If I receive SSI or a VA pension will my payment be considered income?
Please note that the Social Security Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs will not consider the payments as income, and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months.
What about taxpayers with Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs)?
Immigrants with ITINs are not eligible for the $1,200 payments.
What about mixed-status families (SSN valid for employment and ITIN on the same tax return)?
You are eligible for a second stimulus payment for yourself and any dependents you claimed who also have Social Security numbers valid for employment, but not for your spouse. (Mixed-status families who did not receive the first stimulus payment due to the previous restrictions on spouses of people filing with ITINs will now be eligible to get that payment retroactively when they file their 2020 tax return. Read more here.)
I need to file a tax return. How long are payments available?
For those concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return, these economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2021.
Does someone who has died qualify for the payment?
No. A payment made to someone who died before receipt of the payment should be returned to the IRS by following the instructions for repayments. Return the entire payment unless the payment was made to joint filers and one spouse had not died before receipt of the payment, in which case, you only need to return the portion of the payment made on account of the decedent. This amount will be $1,400 unless adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000.
Does someone who is incarcerated qualify for the payment?
Yes. They can claim the payment by filing a simple 2020 tax return. Read more here.
What should I do to return a payment?
You should return the payment as described below.
If the payment was a paper check:
Write “Void” in the endorsement section on the back of the check.
Mail the voided Treasury check immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
Don’t staple, bend, or paper clip the check.
Include a note stating the reason for returning the check.
If the payment was a paper check and you have cashed it, or if the payment was a direct deposit:
Submit a personal check, money order, etc., immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
Write on the check/money order made payable to “U.S. Treasury” and write 2020EIP, and the taxpayer identification number (social security number, or individual taxpayer identification number) of the recipient of the check.
Include a brief explanation of the reason for returning the payment
What if my spouse or ex-spouse took my payment in 2020?
If so, you may be able to claim your economic impact payment (EIP) as a credit or refund on your 2020 federal tax return.
In many abusive relationships the abuser controls the household’s money and finances. Although the survivor may have agreed to the filing of the tax return that the COVID relief payment was based upon, the abuser may have later refused to pay over the survivor’s share of the payment or the survivor cannot get the payment from the abuser without risking harm or abuse. In other situations, survivors may not have seen or signed the tax return that the COVID relief payment was based upon, or they were forced to sign the return under threats or duress.
IRS procedures outline a path for relief for survivors who believe their COVID relief payments were issued based on a tax return that was fraudulent, forged, or signed by the survivor under duress.
Unfortunately, the IRS has not created procedures for allowing a survivor to receive the Recovery Rebate Credit when both spouses agreed to file a married-filing-joint return, but the abusive spouse refused to pay over the survivor’s share of the COVID relief payment. Advocates for survivors of domestic violence have been working on this issue and continue to do so in an effort to find relief for survivors in this situation.
The IRS will post all key information on IRS.gov/coronavirus as soon as it becomes available.
The IRS has a reduced staff in many of its offices but remains committed to helping eligible individuals receive their payments expeditiously. Check for updated information on IRS.gov/coronavirus rather than calling IRS assisters who are helping process 2020 returns.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy launches new projects to support COVID-19 relief
Posted on
The need is everywhere. That’s why we’re here.
Now more than ever, our community needs a champion to ensure
equal access to justice for ALL during these challenging times. Charlotte
Center for Legal Advocacy is here to help anyone facing issues of safety,
financial security and family stability during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The Advocacy Center is still providing services in the areas
of consumer protection, domestic violence, ex-offender re-entry, healthcare
access, home preservation, immigration, income security and tax disputes, while
working to ensure vulnerable populations, such as children, immigrants, people
living with disabilities, seniors and veterans have the assistance they need
during this critical time.
As needs continue to evolve, the Advocacy Center has been
adapting its services to effectively serve the community, launching three new
COVID-19 specific initiatives to help those in need:
Unemployment Insurance Assistance
Thousands of North Carolinians have lost their jobs due to
COVID-19 and are seeking financial assistance through the state’s Unemployment
Insurance Program.
The overwhelming volume of applications paired with implementing new assistance programs under the federal CARES Act has caused significant delays, making the process more confusing for applicants trying to apply.
The Unemployment Insurance Project helps people who have lost work due to COVID-19 understand their eligibility and navigate the application process to receive unemployment benefits.
While Advocacy Center staff cannot help applicants fill out
the necessary paperwork, they can answer questions about the process.
Anyone needing assistance can call the Unemployment Insurance COVID-19 Response Project hotline, 980-256-3979 and leave a message to receive assistance in English or Spanish.
Help Understanding the Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus
Checks) from the CARES Act
Many people anticipate receiving the CARES Act’s Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Checks) as additional financial support. Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy wants to make sure they have the necessary information to know what to expect and how to get a payment.
Anyone with questions about how to get their payment or any other tax issues can contact our N.C. Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic by calling 980-202-7329 or filling out an online assistance request.
Watch our latest Facebook Live discussion on what people can expect as the government issues payments.
CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program Support for Local
Non-Profits
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy recognizes the important
role that our community nonprofits are playing in Coronavirus response while at
the same time being heavily impacted by the pandemic. That’s why the Advocacy
Center, along with its pro bono partners, is providing free assistance to help
Charlotte-area 501(c)(3) organizations understand the process and apply to get
federal aid.
The Paycheck Protection Program of the CARES Act made $350 billion available in small business loans. While most of this money has already been distributed, Congress will likely pass additional funding for small business loans as soon as this week.
Many 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible for these loans, and a significant portion of the loans to nonprofits can be forgiven if certain criteria are met. If you think your nonprofit organization may qualify for a loan and want help understanding the rules governing eligibility, repayment and forgiveness for the loan, we may be able to provide free legal advice for you.
Call Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy at 980-256-3791 for assistance.
Información sobre Pagos de Impacto Económico de la Ley CARES
Posted on
Read in English Muchas personas anticipan recibir los Pagos de Impacto Económico de la Ley CARES (por sus siglas en ingles). El Centro de Apoyo Legal de Charlotte quiere asegurarse de que las personas tenga la información que necesita para saber qué esperar y cómo obtener su pago.
Cualquier persona con preguntas adicionales sobre cómo obtener su pago puede comunicarse con nuestra Clínica de Impuestos para contribuyentes de bajos ingresos de Carolina del Norte llamando al 980-202-7329 o completando una solicitud de asistencia en línea.
Cualquier persona que necesite otra ayuda del El Centro de Apoyo Legal de Charlotte puede contactarnos llamando al 704-376-1600 (Condado de Mecklenburg), 800-438-1254 (Fuera del Condado de Mecklenburg) o al 800-247-1931 (Línea de Español).
¿Quién es elegible para el
pago?
Los contribuyentes con ingresos brutos
ajustados de hasta $ 75,000 para individuos y hasta $ 150,000 para parejas
casadas que presenten declaraciones conjuntas recibirán el pago completo.
Para los declarantes con ingresos superiores
a esos montos, el monto del pago se reduce en $ 5 por cada $ 100 por encima de
los umbrales de $ 75,000 / $ 150,000. Los declarantes solteros con ingresos
superiores a $ 99,000 y $ 198,000 para declarantes conjuntos sin hijos no son
elegibles.
Los contribuyentes elegibles que presentaron declaraciones de impuestos para 2019 o 2018 recibirán automáticamente un pago de impacto económico de hasta $ 1,200 para individuos o $ 2,400 para parejas casadas. Los padres también reciben $ 500 por cada niño calificado.
¿El IRS tomará mi pago si
tengo deudas pendientes del IRS, préstamos estudiantiles federales u otras
deudas del gobierno?
No, pero el IRS tomará su pago en la medida necesaria para pagar las obligaciones de manutención infantil pendientes.
¿Cómo calculará el IRS mi
pago?
Para las personas que ya presentaron sus
declaraciones de impuestos de 2019, el IRS utilizará esta información para
calcular el monto del pago. Para aquellos que aún no han presentado su
declaración de impuestos para 2019, el IRS utilizará la información de su
declaración de impuestos de 2018 para calcular el pago.
La mayoría de las personas no necesitan tomar ninguna medida. El IRS calculará y enviará automáticamente el pago a los elegibles.
¿Cómo sabrá el IRS dónde enviar mi pago?
El pago de impacto económico se depositará directamente en la misma cuenta bancaria reflejada en su declaración de impuestos presentada.
El IRS no tiene mi
información de depósito directo. ¿Que puedo hacer?
En las próximas semanas, el Departamento del
Tesoro de los EE. UU. Planea desarrollar un portal en línea para que las
personas proporcionen su información bancaria al IRS en línea para que las
personas puedan recibir pagos de inmediato en lugar de cheques por correo.
Esos contribuyentes podrían obtener sus pagos más rápidamente al proporcionar su información de depósito directo al IRS en una nueva aplicación que está en proceso. Esta aplicación será como la popular aplicación de la temporada de presentación “¿Dónde está mi reembolso?” Le permitirá a los contribuyentes ver dónde están sus fondos bajo esta nueva ley. El nuevo portal estará disponible pronto.
¿Cuándo comenzarán los
pagos?
Los contribuyentes con información de
depósito directo en el archivo del IRS deben ver su pago en sus cuentas
bancarias a partir de la semana del 13 de abril, mientras que otros tendrán que
esperar hasta cinco meses para recibir cheques en papel.
Los primeros cheques deben ir a los 60 millones de contribuyentes con información de depósito directo de sus declaraciones de impuestos de 2018 o 2019 en el archivo del IRS. Después de eso, a partir de la primera semana de mayo, el IRS emitirá aproximadamente 5 millones de cheques en papel por semana a hasta 100 millones de personas que no tienen información de depósito directo en el archivo, en un proceso que podría tomar hasta 20 semanas para completar.
¿Qué pasa con los
contribuyentes que no tienen cuentas bancarias?
El Departamento del Tesoro de los EE. UU. Y el IRS están trabajando con compañías digitales y proveedores de tarjetas de débito prepagas para garantizar que haya otras vías para que los contribuyentes obtengan su dinero rápidamente.
Normalmente no estoy
obligado a presentar una declaración de impuestos. ¿Todavía puedo recibir mi
pago?
Si. Las personas que reciben beneficios de
jubilación, discapacidad o sobrevivientes del Seguro Social que no presentan
declaraciones de impuestos no necesitarán presentar declaraciones para recibir
sus cheques.
Deberían recibir el dinero adicional tal
como lo harían con sus beneficios del Seguro Social. El IRS utilizará la
información en el Formulario SSA-1099 y el Formulario RRB-1099 para generar $
1,200 Pagos de Impacto Económico a los destinatarios del Seguro Social que no
presentaron declaraciones de impuestos en 2018 o 2019. Los destinatarios
recibirán estos pagos como depósito directo o en papel verificar, tal como
normalmente recibirían sus beneficios.
SIN EMBARGO: Algunos contribuyentes de bajos ingresos, personas mayores y personas con discapacidades que reciben Ingresos de Seguridad Suplementarios (SSI) y veteranos que reciben compensación y / o pensiones por discapacidad del VA que de otra manera no están obligados a presentar una declaración de impuestos deberán presentar una declaración simple para obteer su pago. IRS.gov/coronavirus pronto proporcionará información para instruir a las personas de estos grupos sobre cómo presentar una declaración de impuestos de 2019 con información simple, pero necesaria, que incluye su estado civil, el número de dependientes y la información de la cuenta bancaria de depósito directo.
El 4 de abril, TurboTax presentó un portal en línea donde los estadounidenses de bajos ingresos que no presentan una declaración de impuestos pueden enviar su información al IRS para recibir su pago de estímulo lo antes posible. Los no declarantes pueden proporcionar sus datos de depósito directo o dirección de correo y elegir cómo desean recibir su cheque de estímulo.
No he presentado mi
declaración de impuestos para 2018 o 2019. ¿Todavía puedo recibir un pago?
Si. El IRS insta a cualquier persona con una obligación de presentar una declaración de impuestos que aún no haya presentado una declaración de impuestos para 2018 o 2019 a presentarla tan pronto como les sea posible para recibir un pago. Los contribuyentes deben incluir información bancaria de depósito directo en la declaración.
Si recibo SSI, ¿mi pago se
considerará ingreso?
Tenga en cuenta que la Administración del Seguro Social no considerará los pagos como ingresos para los beneficiarios de SSI, y los pagos están excluidos de los recursos durante 12 meses.
¿Qué pasa con los
contribuyentes con números de identificación fiscal individual (ITIN)?
Los inmigrantes con ITIN no son elegibles para los pagos de $ 1,200.
¿Qué pasa con las familias
de estatus mixto (SSN válido para empleo e ITIN en la misma declaración de
impuestos)?
Si un esposo, esposa o cualquier dependiente
reclamado tiene un ITIN en lugar de un Número de Seguro Social, ningún miembro
de la familia recibirá el pago (Excepción para aquellos que prestan servicios
en los Servicios Armados).
Por supuesto, la pareja podría dejar a sus dependientes con ITIN fuera de su declaración de impuestos. Y presentar una declaración por separado puede ser una opción, sin embargo, la pareja puede perder otros créditos reembolsables, como el Crédito Tributario Adicional por Hijo y los créditos educativos, si lo hacen.
Necesito presentar una
declaración de impuestos. ¿Durante cuánto tiempo están disponibles los pagos?
Para aquellos preocupados por visitar en persona a un profesional de impuestos u organización comunitaria local para obtener ayuda con una declaración de impuestos, estos pagos de impacto económico estarán disponibles durante el resto de 2020.
¿Dónde puedo obtener más
información?
El IRS publicará toda la información clave
en IRS.gov/coronavirus tan pronto como esté disponible.
El IRS tiene un personal reducido en muchas
de sus oficinas, pero sigue comprometido a ayudar a las personas elegibles a
recibir sus pagos rápidamente. Busque información actualizada en
IRS.gov/coronavirus en lugar de llamar a los asistentes del IRS que están
ayudando a procesar las devoluciones de 2019.
COVID-19 Stimulus Payments: Protect Yourself from Scams
WARNING: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning the public not to fall victim to a COVID-19 scam in which scammers are trying to intercept COVID-19 stimulus payments meant to provide financial support for Americans during the pandemic.
For most people, payments will be made as a direct deposit into their bank accounts, but some will receive a paper check.
Criminals and scammers may try and take advantage of you by having you:
Sign over part of or your entire Stimulus Check over to them.
“Verify” your filing information in order to receive your stimulus payment.
They may also try to obtain and use your personal information, including your Social Security Number, to file a false tax return to claim your stimulus payment.
Please know, the IRS will not call, text, or email you to “verify” your payment details. Do not give out your personal information, like a bank account, debit account or PayPal account information to anyone claiming to be from the IRS.
If you do receive a call, do not engage with the scammers or thieves, just hang up.
If you receive texts or emails claiming that you can get your money faster by sending personal information or clicking on links, delete them.
There are companies that are targeting unhoused individuals specifically. We have heard that houseless people have been approached by companies that say they will help someone register for their economic impact payment but take $399 or other amount from the payment. They have the person sign a contract (which you can read on this example company’s website – https://www.docuprepllc.com/) and tell them to come back on a certain date to get the remainder of their payment. You do not have to pay for their EIP and do not need to pay for help accessing it. The only site you should use to claim your stimulus payment is IRS.gov
In addition, if you receive a “check” for an odd amount or a check that requires you to verify the check online or by calling a number, it’s a fraud.
Retirees have been highlighted as a group particularly vulnerable to scams. From the IRS:
“The IRS also reminds retirees who don’t normally have a requirement to file a tax return that no action on their part is needed to receive their $1,200 economic impact payment. Seniors should be especially careful during this period. The IRS reminds retirees – including recipients of Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099 − that no one from the agency will be reaching out to them by phone, email, mail or in person asking for any kind of information to complete their economic impact payment, also sometimes referred to as rebates or stimulus payments. The IRS is sending these $1,200 payments automatically to retirees – no additional action or information is needed on their part to receive this.”
Additionally, economic impact payments belong to the recipient, not nursing home or care facilities: “The payments are intended for the recipients, even if a nursing home or other facility or provider receives the person’s payment, either directly or indirectly by direct deposit or check. these payments do not count as a resource for purposes of determining eligibility for Medicaid and other federal programs for a period of 12 months from receipt. They also do not count as income in determining eligibility for these programs.”
We’re here to help: If you have any questions, please reach out to Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy’s N.C. Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic by calling 704-376-1600 (Mecklenburg County), 800-438-1254 (Outside Mecklenburg County), 800-247-1931 (Linea de Español), or by submitting a contact form.
What NOT to do when filing your taxes
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Filing taxes can be an overwhelming task, often because taxpayers are afraid of making mistakes. And there’s a good reason for some to feel that way: seemingly small mistakes made when filing your taxes can result in a major issue with the IRS down the road.
Learn what you need to do to file properly, protect yourself
and ensure you have met all your obligations as a taxpayer.
What NOT to do when filing taxes:
DO NOT forget to request and keep a copy of your filed tax return.
DO NOT claim education credits on your tax return if you or one your dependents did not attend college.
DO NOT file as “Married Filing Jointly,” if you and your partner are not married to each other.
DO NOT file as “Head of Household,” if you are married and your spouse lived with you at the end of 2019, even if one spouse has a Social Security Number and the other has an ITIN.
If you are self-employed, DO NOT forget to keep proof of your business income and business expenses, such as receipts.
Get free assistance preparing your taxes
Taxpayers who made less than $56,000 in 2019 can get FREE tax preparation services at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites throughout tax season. Find one near you today!
Workers with ITINs: Have you renewed your number with the
IRS?
What is an ITIN? ITINs, Individual Tax Identification
Numbers is a processing number the IRS issues to people who do not have a
social security number but are required to have an identification number for
tax purposes. ITINs do not serve any purpose other than federal tax reporting.
The IRS sends notices to taxpayers with ITINs informing them
of when to renew their ITIN. If you received a letter to renew your ITIN, but
you did not, then it has expired and needs renewal.
If you have filed taxes with an expired ITIN, refunds from
tax credits and dependent exemptions will be held until you renew your ITIN.
The ITIN renewal process is the same as the application for
a new ITIN. You must complete IRS Form W-7 and check “Renew Existing ITIN” at
the top of the form. You are still
required to submit identifying documents.
Some local IRS offices can verify identification documents
you need to renew your ITIN.
TheTaxpayer Assistance Center in Charlotte and in other North Carolina cities can verify documents, but you will need to make an appointment in advance. The schedule an appointment at the closest office near you that can verify your information contact 844-545-5640.
Tax season is upon us, and many people are looking for help filing a tax return.
In doing so, taxpayers should
choose their tax preparers wisely because it’s ultimately the taxpayer who is
responsible for all the information on their income tax return. This is true no
matter who prepares the return.
Here are some tips for folks to remember when selecting a preparer:
Consider Going to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites provide FREE income tax preparation to individuals and families who make less than $56,000 per year. These sites operate between February and mid-April at locations all over North Carolina. Find a VITA site near you!
Check the Preparer’s History. Taxpayers can ask the local Better Business Bureau about the preparer. They should check for disciplinary actions and the license status for credentialed preparers.
Ask about Service Fees. People should avoid preparers who base fees on a percentage of the refund or who boast bigger refunds than their competition.
Ask to e-file. The quickest way for taxpayers to get their refund is to electronically file their federal tax return and choose direct deposit.
Make Sure the Preparer is Available. Taxpayers may want to contact their preparer after this year’s April 15 due date. People should avoid “fly-by-night” preparers.
Provide Records and Receipts. Good preparers will ask to see a taxpayer’s records and receipts. They’ll ask questions to figure things like the total income, tax deductions and credits.
Never Sign a Blank Return. Taxpayers should not use a tax preparer who asks them to sign a blank tax form.
Review Before Signing. Before signing a tax return, the taxpayer should review it. They should ask questions if something is not clear. Taxpayers should feel comfortable with the accuracy of their return before they sign it. Once they sign the return, taxpayers are accepting responsibility for the information on it.
Review details about any refund. Taxpayers should make sure that their refund goes directly to them – not to the preparer’s bank account. The taxpayer should review the routing and bank account number on the completed return.
Ensure the Preparer Signs and Includes their PTIN. All paid tax preparers must have a Preparer Tax Identification Number. By law, paid preparers must sign returns and include their PTIN.
Report Abusive Tax Preparers to the IRS. Most tax return preparers are honest and provide great service to their clients. However, some preparers are dishonest. People can report abusive tax preparers and suspected tax fraud to the IRS. Use Form 14157, Complaint: Tax Return Preparer (PDF).
Tax season is also the season for scams targeting taxpayers. Understand the most common scams to protect yourself, your personal information and your finances.
Identity Theft
This occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your Name, Social Security Number (SSN) or other personal identifying information, without your permission. It is often used by scammers to fraudulently file tax returns and claim refunds.
If you file a tax return and then receive a letter from IRS that another tax return was filed using your name, OR if you don’t file a tax return and then receive a letter that a tax return was filed using your name, the false tax filing could be due to identity theft.
Your identity could be stolen, or misused by a former
spouse, family member or business partner.
If you believe that you are at risk of identity theft due to lost, stolen, or misused personal information, contact the North Carolina Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic of Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.
Phishing
Phishing is usually carried out with unsolicited e-mails or fake websites to steal your personal and financial information. All you must do is click on false links and your personal information could be compromised.
Keep in mind, the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by e-mail to request personal or financial information.
Some tax scammers also use snail mail; so be aware, when you receive regular mail that purports to be from the IRS too. If you are not sure, contact the IRS directly.
Tax Preparer Fraud
Keep in mind, as a taxpayer you are legally responsible for the information you represent on your tax return, even if the tax return is prepared by a third-party professional.
“Free Money” from the IRS
There is NO SUCH THING as “free money” from the IRS. Be skeptical of flyers and advertisements promising you “free money” from the IRS. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte tax preparer pleaded guilty in federal court Friday for filing false tax returns for her clients and for herself.
Andrivia Wells entered a guilty plea for three out of 35 counts, including aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns and filing false tax returns for herself. She did not address a charge related to obstructing criminal investigators from the IRS.
From 2011 through 2019, Wells ran Rush Tax Service out of three locations: Beatties Ford Road, Nevin Road and North Tryon Street. Federal prosecutors say Wells prepared more than 6,000 tax returns and received more than $1.2 million in fees from her clients. Oftentimes, the tax fees were taken from the clients’ tax refunds and clients were unaware of how much they were being charged, which was frequently more than $500.
According to the indictment filed in 2019, Wells filed clients’ tax returns with fabricated items, including wages, filing status, American Opportunity Credits, education credits, Schedule C business income and losses and more. The clients did not know what Wells was doing until they were contacted by the IRS with questions about items on their returns.
Shortly after Wells was notified about the investigation, prosecutors allege she set her Beatties Ford Road office location on fire. It was the very same day her summons response was due. The fire destroyed client files, financial records, and computer hardware.
If you’d like to safeguard your filings this tax season and you make less than $56,000 a year, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy attorney Arthur Bartlett said taxpayers should consider going to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site. There are locations across Mecklenburg County, and it’s sponsored and funded by the IRS.
If you do have to pay someone to file your taxes, Bartlett said to remember this important tip.
“Make sure you know you’ve looked at the return as best you can and you’ve asked questions where it doesn’t make sense because ultimately the IRS is going to hold you responsible, very likely, if the one you looked at and signed is the one that’s filed.”
The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is assisting Wells’ victims. You can reach them at 704-376-1600.
Then & Now: A Decade of Justice
Posted on
In 2010 …
Charlotte was recovering from the Great Recession, which had destabilized thousands of people through job and home loss that eroded financial security.
As a result, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy saw the overall community need for legal assistance increase by 15%, including an overwhelming need from families facing foreclosure.
The Recession’s effects continued to be felt throughout the decade to shape our community, to define the issues of economic mobility and inequity we fight to address, and to steadily impact the people the Advocacy Center serves today.
As we mark the passing of a critical decade for Charlotte, we’re taking a look back at the work we’ve done to build a more just community for everyone in the Charlotte region.
Then
Our name was Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, a name we had been operating under since 1978.
Number of staff: 19
Now
Today we are Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy! In 2017, we changed our name and celebrated 50 years of service.
Number of staff: 50
Our new name reflects our commitment to providing both individual legal representation and systemic change to advance our mission of pursuing justice for those in need.
Growth to Address Systemic Problems in a Changing World
Since 2010, we’ve launched several projects to meet increased demand for assistance, creatively address the root causes of poverty and support our community’s most vulnerable populations, including:
Veterans Legal Services Project: meeting specific legal needs of former service members and their families to ensure access to benefits earned while serving our country.
Immigration Assistance Project: providing free legal screenings and assistance to applicants in Charlotte’s Immigration Court.
Health Insurance Navigator Project: helping consumers understand their options in a complex, changing health insurance landscape while ensuring access to health care under the law.
Life altering decisions are made every day in our civil legal system that directly impact a person’s chance at a stable life and opportunity.
Despite the gravity of these decisions, no one is guaranteed legal representation in civil legal cases, leaving only those who can afford an attorney with true access to justice.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and legal service organizations across the country fight to provide equal justice for all in a legal system that is currently inaccessible for those who lack the money and resources to navigate it.
Federal funding for legal service organizations through the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) peaked in 2010. The funding increase was necessary to support legal service organizations assisting an increasing number of people while having lost key funding resources during the Recession. Funding has not increased since, despite the fact 25 percent more people qualify for legal assistance today than in 2007.
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy does not receive LSC funding (learn why), but we advocate for sustained and increased funding for our partners that do, such as Legal Aid of North Carolina.
A 2014 impact report from the N.C. Equal Access to Justice Commission showed that 2.2 million North Carolinians qualified for civil legal aid services and 80 percent of civil legal needs of low-income people went unmet.
Affordable housing and protection from housing displacement
By 2010, the Advocacy Center was assisting families who were fighting foreclosure and trying to put their financial lives back together in the wake of the global financial crisis. When the housing crisis peaked in 2009, more than 12 million homeowners were experiencing negative equity across the U.S.
Today, the Advocacy Center helps families and communities navigate Charlotte’s affordable housing crisis as more people struggle to find and remain in affordable places to live. That assistance includes foreclosure prevention; defense against unfair and deceptive sales and purchases; property tax relief; and impact litigation on behalf of tenants to ensure safe and habitable housing conditions under N.C. law, including a class action lawsuit on behalf of residents of Lake Arbor Apartments.
Welcoming Immigrants into Our Community
Charlotte’s Immigration Court opened in 2008 to serve applicants from North and South Carolina. The Advocacy Center’s Immigrant Justice Program began serving applicants who could not afford legal assistance in the court, which quickly gained a reputation as one of the most hostile in the country.
With the Immigration Working Group, the Advocacy Center began the Immigration Assistance Project in 2010 to help unrepresented people in the court, providing consultation, education and referrals to assist them in court proceedings. Since its creation, it has been a vital legal resource to thousands of people that is not available in most immigration courts.
By 2014, violence and instability in Central America generated a wave of unaccompanied migrant children traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, safety and reunification with family already living in the U.S.
The Advocacy Center launched the Safe Child Immigrant Project to ensure these children had an advocate.
Without our intervention, these children would have had not have had legal assistance to make their case for asylum, special immigrant juvenile status or other forms of relief they were entitled to receive.
Due to an overwhelming backlog, the first green cards from many of these cases were finally granted in 2018, allowing these children and their families to remain safely in the U.S. without fear of return to dangerous situations in their home countries.
This victory is a stark comparison to the current reality for thousands of children seeking relief at the U.S. border. They will not see the same outcome under current federal immigration enforcement, even though they have endured the same hardships and have the same valid claims for relief as these new green card recipients.
The Advocacy Center fought to maintain public benefits that stabilize families, while also ensuring access to them with increased demand for social support after the Recession, including SNAP benefits (food stamps) and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Today, the Advocacy Center is still fighting cuts and policies that destabilize families at the federal and state level, while helping families understand what is available under changing laws and policies.
Since 2018, the Advocacy Center has fought changes to the federal Public Charge rule to consider use of public benefits to determine approval for people seeking to immigrate to the U.S. or applying for a green card to become legal permanent residents. Confusion and fear surrounding the rule change has led local families who are eligible to receive public benefits to forego support out of fear. Federal courts halted the rule’s implementation in October 2019, and the Advocacy Center continues to monitor ongoing litigation.
Our Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic is educating N.C. taxpayers on new regulations stemming from federal tax reform passed in 2018, while continuing to help taxpayers protect themselves from scams and fraud.
In conjunction with a new state law changed the waiting period for expunging non-violent misdemeanor and felony criminal convictions in 2017, the Advocacy Center began helping Mecklenburg County residents apply for removal of non-violent, eligible offenses from their criminal records. This project sought to remove barriers to economic mobility that come with having a criminal record. In FY19, we assisted 217 people to expunge criminal records in N.C. and advocated for passage of expanded eligibility for expungements in the N.C. General Assembly.
In 2016, the Advocacy Center partnered with Central Piedmont Community College’s Single Stop program to provide legal assistance that helps students overcome barriers to their education and pursue economic opportunity. In the first two years, the partnership provided $72,855 in legal assistance while obtaining or preserving $103,462 in public benefits for students and their families.
Access to quality, affordable health care
The Advocacy Center has been litigating to ensure families have the health care they are entitled to receive under the law through major cases, including:
Pashby v. Cansler, later Pettigrew v. Brajer: The lawsuit, initially named Pashby v. Cansler, was filed in 2011 by the Advocacy Center, Disability Rights N.C. and the National Health Law Program, alleging that the state violated federal Medicaid law and the Americans with Disabilities Act by determining eligibility for personal care services under more restrictive criteria for people living at home than for those who live in institutional settings known as adult care homes. A settlement was reached in 2016, allowing vulnerable citizens who need health services to safely remain in their homes and have their services restored.
Pachas v. NCDHHS: The Advocacy Center brought the case on behalf of a terminally ill man, who had been the primary provider for his wife, two young daughters, and elderly in-laws. Pachas was trying to support his family on Social Security disability benefits before eventually qualifying for Medicaid benefits that covered his medical treatment for a stroke and a brain tumor. Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services determined Pachas’ income was above the federal poverty level based on the level of an individual, not for a family, and required him to pay a large deductible on his Medicaid benefits. In 2018, attorneys argued before the N.C. Court of Appeals that the state was violating federal Medicaid law in applying its definition of family size to determine eligibility for benefits. The N.C. Supreme Court heard arguments on the case in 2018 and unanimously ruled in favor of the Center to vacate the Court of Appeals ruling. The case is now with the Court of Appeals for a ruling on the merits of the case.
Hawkins v. Cohen: The Advocacy Center and the National Health Law Program filed a lawsuit in federal court in 2017 to stop illegal terminations of Medicaid benefits in North Carolina that resulted in a preliminary injunction and a certified class action. The improper actions included due process violations, failure to reasonably accommodate the disabled, and creating barriers to access for recipients with limited English proficiency. The class action is ongoing. As a result, the state changed its computer system earlier this year to stop Medicaid coverage from automatically terminating when a county worker does not timely complete a required eligibility review. Under this programming change, Medicaid coverage for more than 124,000 cases was extended in the past two months that would otherwise have been terminated without notice.
With the first open enrollment season for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Advocacy Center launched the Health Insurance Navigator project to help consumers understand their options and get the health care they needed under the new law.
Since 2013, we’ve helped thousands of people understand their options and get health coverage, while reducing the state’s uninsured rate. The navigator project has been recognized as a national model and received a visit from Sylvia Burwell, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, in 2015.
At the end of 2019, our health insurance navigators completed their seventh open enrollment season, helping residents in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union counties understand their coverage options in a changing healthcare landscape to select health plan that meet their individual needs and budget.
The ACA included opportunity for states to expand their Medicaid programs and close the coverage gap for low-income people to insure all Americans. The Advocacy Center began advocating for expansion of the state’s Medicaid program in the N.C. General Assembly, which has failed to act. Expansion would insure an estimated 500,000 NC residents who make too little to afford private health coverage but too much to receive financial assistance paying for coverage. Expansion also would have lowered overall health costs for residents and spurred an estimated $2.9 billion in business growth by 2020.
Today we are still urging the N.C. General Assembly to expand Medicaid so that more residents have access to health care. Residents like Allan.
The N.C. General Assembly approved changes to the state’s Medicaid program in 2015 that privatized the administration of the program. The Advocacy Center has been working with providers and beneficiaries to make sure they understand what the change means and how to continue receiving health care. The Advocacy Center is also monitoring the change to ensure access under the law. The implementation of the new program was supposed to take place in fall 2019, but it has been delayed due to the legislature’s inability to pass a budget.
Protection from exploitation
To improve quality of life and ensure independence, the Advocacy Center has worked to empower seniors through education, legal representation and specific services that enable them to remain self-sufficient, their property unencumbered and their finances protected through the Legal Services for the Elderly program and other projects.
The Advocacy Center’s Consumer Protection program has continually worked to protect low-income people from scams and bad actors taking advantage of vulnerable groups who lack access to resources to understand their rights as consumers.
Immigrants have historically been targets for exploitation in our country. The current administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy toward immigrants who are undocumented has exacerbated their vulnerability and stoked fear in families, regardless of immigration status.
For 12 years, Mecklenburg County’s 287(g) program facilitated hundreds of deportations by assisting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in implementing federal immigration enforcement at the local level. The voluntary program directed police to target, arrest and hold residents living in our community without a legal immigration status.
This practice tore families apart, made immigrants vulnerable targets and eroded trust of law enforcement, all while diverting local taxpayer funds away from public safety to enforce federal immigration policy, which is outside the jurisdiction of local law enforcement agencies. The Advocacy Center has long believed this policy has harmed our community by undermining public safety, depriving individuals of due process, wasting county resources, and exposing tax payers to potential legal settlements.
Mecklenburg County Sheriff Gary McFadden ended the 287(g) program in late 2018 after winning election on the issue. In 2019, Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the N.C. General Assembly’s mandate that local sheriffs cooperate with ICE and honor detainer requests. The Advocacy Center continues to monitor local and state policies that negatively impact immigrants in our community.
In 2018, the Advocacy Center fought against ICE presence in our courts after officials arrested a woman and her 16-year-old son at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, leaving her 2-year-old child behind in the court’s day care center as they took her into custody and placed her in deportation proceedings. This woman, Maria, and her son are survivors of domestic violence who were appearing for a hearing in their case.
The arrest became part of a national dialogue on how ICE activity in courthouses negatively impacts public safety and the ability for crime victims, especially victims of domestic violence, to seek justice.
The Charlotte Immigration Court later terminated her deportation case with the support of ICE, allowing Maria and her family to remain in the U.S. as they pursued a U-Visa, which provides protected status to victims of crime. The victory came after months of negotiation with ICE through the partnership of Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Comunidad Colectiva and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild.
In response to increased ICE activity since 2017, the Advocacy Center has partnered with community groups, including Action NC, Comunidad Colectiva, El Puente Hispano and the Latin American Coalition to help individuals understand their civil rights and provide emergency planning for families in the event of family separation through arrest and deportation.
A decade of justice
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy has covered a lot of ground over the last 10 years, but the gap between access and justice remains wide.
In the decade ahead, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy remains committed to closing that gap by building a more just community where all are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic needs and thrive.
In 2020 and beyond…
We will always fight to ensure
Access to our legal system
Affordable housing and protection from housing displacement
All feel welcome in our community
Economic mobility
Access to quality, affordable health care
Protection from exploitation
While the means to accomplishing our mission will change with the needs of our community, our resolve to pursue justice for those in need remains constant. Because we believe …
