Program areas at Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council
Tax clinic: as part of the internal revenue service restructuring and reform act of 1998 (rra 98), congress enacted irc 7526 to authorize funding for the litc grant program. The program protects taxpayers' rights by providing access to representation for low-income taxpayers, so that achieving a correct outcome in an irs dispute does not depend on the taxpayer's ability to pay for representation. Dcrac's litc provides free legal services to low-income taxpayers in Delaware. Since 2003, we have helped more than 1,000 taxpayers resolve their tax debts with the state and the irs.
Estate planning: dcrac law provides a free or affordable lawyer. The access-to-justice crisis is bigger than law and lawyers. It is a crisis of exclusion and inequality. Today, access to justice is restricted: only some people, and only some kinds of justice problems, receive lawful resolution. Low bono is one of the innovative solutions to improve access to justice. In Delaware, we are the only such service. Our practice areas are wills and estate, probate, small business formation, contracts & document review, and consultations-all tied to wealth preservation. Dcrac law also offers the only free low-income tax representation-a program funded by the irs.
Economic justice program: we work at the state and federal level to prevent passing bad laws, systemic injustice, and to make the financial and economic system fairer. In 2011, we chartered stepping stones Community federal credit union to offer financial inclusion-the bridge between economic opportunity and outcomes.
Money school: educates about money because managing one's finances is a complex set of challenges in the best of times, requiring a combination of skills, judgment and resources. In today's volatile pandemic and economic environment, the challenges are especially acute and the downside risks are great. Individuals and families must grapple with a bewildering variety of financial decisions, ranging from choosing a bank and managing various kinds of debt, to planning for retirement and purchasing insurance. Even the simplest of these decisions requires at least some basic financial knowledge and competency, while the more complicated decisions are challenging even for experts.