Community Outreach
The Cal Poly LITC holds a variety of tax outreach events in the surrounding community to inform residents on their rights and responsibilities as taxpayers. These outreach events can be conducted in Spanish as well as in English. We also have bilingual brochures on these topics available for distribution.
Our workshop objectives are to help individuals in the community navigate a confusing and complex tax system; as well as protect them from scams and misinformation they may have received. Our workshops are designed to help ensure fairness for the taxpayers of the surrounding community.
To arrange for the LITC to provide an educational event for you or your organization please contact us at: litc@calpoly.edu or 805-756-2951
Our outreach presentation topics include:
- Tax Rights and Responsibilities
- Examination, Appeals, and Collection Issues
- Earned Income Tax Credit
- Offer-In-Compromise
- Tax Issues that arise from Divorce
- Innocent Spouse Support
- Employee-Employer Issues
- Tax Advocate Services in their Community
- Choosing your Tax Preparer
Tax Court
Cal Poly is the first academic LITC without a law school to be allowed to enter into an agreement with the United States Tax Court to have its student accountants and legal staff assist unrepresented taxpayers during trial sessions. The Clinic’s agreement with the Tax Court also authorizes the court to send written notification to taxpayers with trials pending before the court to consider seeking legal assistance from the Cal Poly LITC. Every year, Cal Poly LITC student accountants and Lisa Sperow travel to the Federal Court in Fresno, California to participate in their first calendar call to assist unrepresented taxpayers appearing before the court.
Volunteer Efforts
The student accountants of the Cal Poly LITC also make an effort to volunteer in the community.The LITC has reached over 130,000 community members through outreach and educational events. Some of the recent events that LITC students have held in include:
- Taco Bout Taxes in Poly Canyon
- Law Day at Slo County Court
- A booth at the Veterans Resource Fair
- A booth at Children’s Day at the Plaza
- A booth at Farmer’s market
- Latino Outreach Council
- Santa Barbara County Stand Down Event