Pro bono attorney Jennifer Singh responded to the need of a grandmother who had come to the aid of family members.
When the grandmother’s head of household status was not recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, she faced a possible judgment in tax court that would have required her to pay significant additional taxes — money she needed to support her family.
When Singh accepted the case and when she prevailed, the grandmother had the same response … tears of relief. Singh describes this pro bono matter:
What were the basic facts of your case?
The Internal Revenue Service denied the client head of household status and her Earned Income Credit that resulted in a large debt to the IRS that she could not afford based on her financial circumstances.
She claimed HOH and EIC in 2012 because she was supporting her young niece who was ill and also her grandson while her daughter was in school.
She had a difficult time resolving her dispute with the IRS and this March the case was referred to the United States tax court. It was then she sought help through JALA.
What were you able to accomplish for your client?
I was able to review her case, petition the Tax Court and in the meantime work with an appeals officer for an out-of-court resolution.
Upon an appeals conference with this particular officer, it was decided the client should in fact be allowed to claim the two children on her 2012 return.
Why was the outcome important to your client?
The IRS was requiring a significant amount of money to be returned from this client, which she did not have. Hours had been cut at her job and she was really depending on her 2014 tax return to help her get ahead.
However, due to this issue, the IRS would have kept her return. Upon my win with appeals, I was able to allow her to move forward with her 2014 filing and receive the much needed money.
Why was the experience important to you? That is, what did you gain from the experience?
When I decided to take this case, the client broke down in tears. It was such a humbling experience. When I won the case, the same thing happened again.
It means so much to me to be able to help someone in such a difficult time when she felt she had nowhere to turn. If I could make pro bono my full-time practice, I would. However, even just to help this one person, to touch this one life, brings me so much joy and love for this career path I’ve chosen.
What is the name of your firm? In what areas do you practice?
My firm name is Singh & White, P.A. We practice tax, immigration and family law.
What advice do you have for other attorneys considering pro bono involvement?
Do it. There are so many people that need help and cannot afford it. My partner, Michelle White, and I always maintain one pro-bono case each (sometimes more when we can’t say no).
I promise you it does not take away too much time from our practice and when we take cases from Jacksonville Area Legal Aid or Three Rivers Legal Services, it allows us to learn new areas of law as training is provided.
Law is not easy, thus I believe we all should be using our extensive knowledge to help those who so desperately need legal assistance.
Attorneys interested in pro bono opportunities throughout the 4th Judicial Circuit are encouraged to contact Para at [email protected].