Did you have to wait hours for the judge to call for your Unemployment Benefits Hearing?
Did something go wrong?
Did you have to wait hours for the judge to call you? Did you lose because you missed the judge’s call or some other technical problem with the call?
If so, SLLS may be able to help!
The standard wait time for an unemployment benefits hearing is 30 minutes. If you had to wait several hours or longer, and something went wrong with your case, an attorney may be able to help you.
Please contact SLLS at 1-844-244-7871 for more information or visit our website to apply for services here.
You can now file your federal and state income tax returns for 2023. Here's what you should know:
If you need a tax preparer, choose carefully. Some tax preparers will put false information on your return to get more money from your refund. You are responsible for what is on your tax return, even if someone else prepares it.
Review the return and ask questions if you need help understanding an entry.
If the IRS audits your return, you will be responsible for paying back any refunds you should not have received, not the preparer. Putting false information on a return is also a crime. If the IRS chooses to pursue criminal charges, you may face large criminal fines or jail time.
The number of dependents living in your household.
A dependent must be a minor or permanently disabled to be claimed for the Earned Income Tax Credit. The dependent must also have lived in your household for most of the year. The IRS may ask for medical and school records to show that a dependent lived at your address.
Income the taxpayer did not earn.
This is usually income from self-employment. The IRS may ask for bank statements to prove your income.
Business expenses that the taxpayer did not actually pay.
The IRS may ask for business records, receipts, or canceled checks to show you paid the expenses.
False transportation expenses.
The newest scam in the New Orleans area is to claim that a taxpayer has a transportation business and then ask for a refund based on a large amount of fuel used for the business. The IRS easily flags these returns since they usually state that the taxpayer used a ridiculous amount of fuel during the year, and the necessary information about the fleet of vehicles is not provided.
Do your research.
Do an online search on the company or preparer to see if there are any reviews of their work. You can also check the Better Business Bureau website to see if any complaints have been filed against the company or person.
Search the IRS website.
The IRS website, www.irs.gov, has a list of preparers who have authorization to file tax returns electronically.
Use a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA Program).
The VITA provides return preparation services for low to moderate-income people. These are tax professionals who volunteer their time. Call 1-800-906-9887 for information about VITA programs in your area.
Public Benefits
If you receive public benefits such as a housing voucher, the agency may request copies of your tax returns.
If you listed income on the return that was not reported to the agency, you may lose your housing voucher or be asked to pay back benefits that you received. This is another reason to check your return carefully.
Pandemic Stimulus Checks
If you did not receive the pandemic stimulus funds or the larger child tax credits issued in 2020 and 2021, you can request those credits by filing a 2020 and/or 2021 federal tax return and asking for the funds as a refund.
Taxpayers only have three years from the due date of a return to request a refund, so April 15, 2024, will be the last date to request the pandemic funds for 2020.
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services has a Tax Clinic called the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC). We provide free legal representation for people who have a dispute with the IRS. We can help:
We help people throughout Louisiana, not just the New Orleans area. To apply for services, call Lynnette Tillis (877) 521-6242, ext. 225 (toll-free), or apply on our website, slls.org.
For Immediate Release
Date: March 21, 2024
Contact: Laura Tuggle, ltuggle@slls.org, 504-529-1000 x 270
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Receives $1.8 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott
New Orleans, LA—Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) recently received a $1.8 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving, part of her pledge to donate most of her wealth back to society. This is SLLS’ single largest donation in its history. The funds will help SLLS increase access to justice for vulnerable low-income people across southeast Louisiana.
SLLS strives to break down legal barriers and make fair and equal access to justice possible for the people who need it most. Free civil legal aid can help vulnerable people with life’s most basic needs, like protecting families from domestic violence, helping seniors keep their homes, recovering from disasters, ensuring people living with disabilities have stable lives, and securing access for all to our system of justice.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, SLLS has received several awards and recognitions for its innovative response to meeting client needs in challenging conditions. Our New Orleans Right to Counsel eviction diversion project was lauded by the White House for its high success rate. SLLS’ Homeless One Stop Legal Clinic team received the 2023 Louisiana State Bar Association Innovation in Legal Services Award.
“Civil legal aid is an often overlooked but essential solution to stabilizing families in crisis,” said SLLS Executive Director Laura Tuggle. “Many families in Louisiana are still struggling with economic losses from COVID-19, Hurricane Ida, and challenging economic conditions. This unprecedented gift will help us continue to drive innovative solutions to bridge the justice gap.”
About Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) fights for fairness in the justice system. We provide free civil legal aid to low-income people across 22 parishes in southeast Louisiana. We have six offices: Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Harvey, Houma, and New Orleans. Our mission is to achieve justice for low-income people in Louisiana by enforcing and defending their legal rights through free legal representation, advocacy, and community education. For more information about SLLS, visit www.slls.org and follow us on Facebook (@SLLShelps).