Attorneys Stephen J. Dunn and Christina R. McNeal, of Dunn Counsel PLC in Troy, hit the ground running in their work with the State Bar of Michigan Tax Pro Bono Program.

Dunn’s first client had been misadvised that she was not subject to tax on a settlement she had received years earlier, and the IRS was seeking to levy her only source of income, a small monthly Social Security benefit. Dunn persuaded the IRS to post the client as currently non collectible (CNC), meaning it would no longer take collection action against her, but the collection statute of limitations would continue to run on her tax liability.

Dunn’s second client is a single father of three who is a manual laborer earning about $10 an hour. The Michigan Department of Treasury was levying his income to collect his tax. Dunn succeeded in entering the client into an installment agreement with Michigan Treasury requiring him to pay $50 per month, and having the levy released.

Meanwhile, McNeal’s first client had trust fund recovery penalties assessed against her due to her ex-husband’s failure to deposit employment taxes for his restaurant. McNeal succeeded in having the client posted as CNC.

Her second client has liability stemming from some errors and denied credits and deductions on her tax return. McNeal only recently began working on the case, but will correct the tax returns, and then have the client posted as CNC, or file an offer in compromise on her behalf, as she is unable to work.

Dunn Counsel PLC handles foreign account matters, civil asset forfeitures, criminal and civil tax litigation, and estate planning.

“Tax pro bono cases are well within our wheelhouse,” said Dunn, “and serving pro bono clients is very gratifying.”

—Benjamin Ensroth (Robert Mathis and Lynn Ingram contributed to this story.)