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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Philadelphia Legal Assistance

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Philadelphia Legal Assistance

Philadelphia Legal Assistance provides free civil legal assistance to low-income people in Philadelp and 11:30 a.m.
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Philadelphia Legal Assistance assists with a variety of legal problems, including mortgage foreclosure, tax foreclosure, child custody, protection from abuse, welfare, disability, and other problems. To learn more about Philadelphia Legal Assistance, visit our web site at: https://philalegal.org. To make a gift to Philadelphia Legal Assistance, click here: https://philalegal.org/donate

Please note that walk-in intake hours are limited to Mondays and Wednesdays between 9:00 a.m.

06/02/2026

It's Tax Tip Tuesday!

Back in 2020 and 2021, the IRS issued stimulus payments because of the COVID pandemic. The payments were $1,800 for 2020 and $1,400 for 2021, plus additional amounts for dependents. For people who did not receive these payments automatically, a 2020 and/or 2021 tax return had to be filed to claim them.

There was also a major increase to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in 2021, which allowed even parents with no earned income to receive between $3,000 and $3,600 per child. In addition, people were allowed to use their 2019 earnings to calculate the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for 2020 and 2021 and the CTC for 2020.

Under the normal tax filing rules, the deadline to file a 2020 tax return was April 15, 2024, and the deadline to file a 2021 tax return was April 15, 2025.

There have been recent court decisions and changes to the law that appear to give people until July 10, 2026, to file 2020 and 2021 tax returns. It is not certain that this deadline applies in every case, because these developments happened very recently and the IRS has not yet said whether it agrees.

Still, why not try?

If you did not receive all of your COVID stimulus payments, or if you had children and never filed 2020 or 2021 tax returns, this may be the very last opportunity you will ever have to claim this money.

To take advantage of it, you will need to file your 2020 and 2021 tax returns by July 10, 2026.

At this point, those returns must be mailed to the IRS. You will also need proof that they were mailed by July 10. For that reason, you should send them by Certified Mail through the Post Office so that you receive both a tracking number and proof of timely mailing. Before you mail your returns, make copies for your records, and be sure to keep your tracking slips and receipts.

Questions? Need help?

Don't wait. Contact us to see whether we can help—for free!

Call 215-981-3800 Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., or apply online at philalegal.org/apply.

06/02/2026

Every year, Philadelphians are forced to navigate the Family Court system alone. That’s why we created the Family Court Help Center, to offer guidance during custody filings and provide access to critical community resources. But, we need more funding in order to continue serving those in need. is fighting for us in the city budget process, but we need your support too. Share and comment below to let the city know that we’re fighting for families!

05/20/2026

Attention! PLA’s offices and hotlines will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. We will return to normal hours of operation on Tuesday, May 26.

05/19/2026

It's Tax Tip Tuesday! If you are still waiting for your 2025, 2024, or older federal or state tax refund, there might be a problem causing the delay.

It can be hard to get through to the IRS or PA Department of Revenue over the phone. Even when you do get through to someone, they don’t always know the answer to your problem.

This is just the type of situation that the Taxpayer Support Clinic helps with. We can’t make magic, and oftentimes it still takes a long time for the government to issue a refund, but we can figure out what's causing the delay and what options there are to fix it.

If you are still trying to get your refund and feel like you aren’t making any progress, contact us to see if we can help! Visit www.philalegal.org/apply or call our intake at 215-981-3800 between 9:30 am and 12 pm Monday through Thursday.

05/14/2026

PLA cerrará la línea de admisión de la Unidad de Compensación por Desempleo lunes, mayo 18, 2026 y la reabrirá martes, mayo 26, 2026. Mientras tanto, se puede completar nuestro formulario de admisión en línea a philalegal.org/apply (se puede traducir la página al español). Nos comunicarnos con usted en respecto a su solicitud en línea por la semana del mayo 26.

Si usted tiene un reclamo de compensación por desempleo y se le ha asignado una fecha para una audiencia para junio 1 o antes, tiene que conseguir una continuación si busca representación de nuestra oficina (PLA). Debe enviarle un pedido escrito para una continuación a la oficina de árbitros. También, por favor, complete el formulario de admisión en línea a philalegal.org/apply. Nuestros empleados se comunicaran con usted a partir del 26 de mayo.

Si usted tiene un reclamo activo de compensación por desempleo y no se le ha asignado una fecha de una audiencia, por favor, complete el formulario de admisión en línea a philalegal.org/apply. Nuestros empleados se comunicaran con usted a partir del 26 de mayo.

Nuestras horas regulares de entrevistas iniciales se reanudarán el martes, 26 de mayo. La línea de admisión está abierta de lunes a jueves desde 9:30am a 12 (mediodía) y se puede alcanzarla por 215-981-3800.

05/14/2026

PLA will be closing unemployment compensation (UC) intake beginning Monday, May 18, 2026 and it will reopen on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. In the meantime, you may complete an online application at philalegal.org/apply. We will contact you regarding your online application during the week of May 26th.

If you have an unemployment compensation claim and have been recently assigned a hearing date scheduled on or before June 1st, you will need to get a continuance if you are seeking representation from PLA. You should send a continuance request in writing to the Referee's office. Also, please complete an online intake at philalegal.org/apply. Our intake staff will contact you on or after May 26th.

If you have an unemployment compensation claim and have not been assigned a hearing date, please complete an online intake at philalegal.org/apply. Our intake staff will contact you on or after May 26th.

Our regular UC intake hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26th. UC intake is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30am through 12noon and can be reached at 215-981-3800.

05/04/2026

PLA is celebrating 30 years of providing holistic, high-quality civil legal aid to Philadelphians in need. Each month, we are featuring a story about our work to highlight how much we've accomplished in 30 years.

When the City launched the Eviction Diversion Program during the COVID-19 crisis, PLA helped build and sustain a new approach to eviction prevention. Through the Eviction Diversion Hotline, PLA assists thousands of tenants each year, connecting them with legal advice, housing counseling, and financial resources that can help stabilize their housing and prevent displacement.

This blog post highlights how Eviction Diversion is changing outcomes for tenants across Philadelphia and how PLA continues to strengthen the program, especially for those navigating direct negotiations with landlords. Read the blog post now at bit.ly/30EDP

05/01/2026

PLA was proud to connect with community members this morning at an event hosted by Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson at the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center. We shared information about the Save Your Home Philly Hotline and how to get help with mortgage issues, property taxes, and tangled titles. Managing Attorney Joanne Werdel is pictured here with the Councilmember. PLA is here to help homeowners in Philadelphia stay in their homes!

04/27/2026

Attention! PLA's Family Law Hotline and the Help Center at the Philadelphia Family Court will be closed from April 27th through May 8th. Thank you for your understanding! We will return to normal hours of operation after May 8th.

04/21/2026

It's Tax Tip Tuesday! Does your work give you a 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC to file your taxes? If so, you might be paying more tax than you should be paying!

This is a rampant issue called “worker misclassification” that affects many taxpayers. In a nutshell, worker misclassification is when an employer treats workers as independent contractors when they should be treated as employees. It might seem like a small distinction, but it affects a ton of your rights as a worker and responsibilities as a taxpayer.

Being misclassified as an independent contractor can keep you from getting overtime you would otherwise be due. It also means that taxes aren’t being withheld from your paychecks and can result in a higher tax bill than you should actually owe at the end of the year.

If you're worried that you are being misclassified by your current job or have been misclassified at a former job, PLA will be running a virtual workshop, on Zoom, where you can learn:

- What signs to look out for to determine if you are being misclassified
- How being misclassified affects your taxes
- What you can do about misclassification

The workshop will go live on Tuesday, 4/28/2026, at 12:30 pm. You can attend the workshop at bit.ly/PLA1099

Address

718 Arch Street, Ste 300N
Philadelphia, PA
19106

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(215) 981-3800

Website

https://philalegal.org/

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