April 27, 2006
Law School Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Receives IRS Grant
The UW School of Law Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic has received a $97,250 grant from the Internal Revenue Service. The UW law school’s clinic was one of only nine to receive the maximum grant award.
“By assisting low-income clients with their IRS problems, we are able to help people resolve tax disputes, which to them seem unsolvable,” said Clinic Director Scott Schumacher. “At the same time, students in the program get invaluable experience working with real clients who have real problems, and learn how to deal with the IRS and complex tax issues.”
The UW law school’s clinic was established in 2000 to help low-income individuals throughout Western Washington resolve disputes with the IRS. The clinic, which is funded by a federal matching grant and the law school’s Graduate Program in Taxation, offers this assistance as a public service and as a means of training law students in tax practice.
The IRS gave a total of $8 million in matching grants to 150 low-income taxpayer clinics for 2006, 32 of which are operated out of law schools. The IRS grant program, now in its eighth year, encourages the creation and growth of clinics across the nation. Low-income taxpayer clinics provide free or nominal cost assistance to taxpayers who otherwise may not be able to afford a tax professional.
