An Ariva Tax Client Story

We never know when a health crisis will impact our lives. Whether physical or mental, our own personal journey or that of a loved one, a health crisis can also send us into a financial or tax crisis, too. Kylie, one of our first-time tax clients, came to us for support this year after overcoming a health challenge and four years of delaying to file federal or state taxes.

With years of experience in the hospitality business, Kylie found herself out of work during the pandemic when the city shut down. Thankfully, she found several side gigs and kept her bills paid. But in 2021, she knew she was experiencing health challenges she needed to prioritize, and she stopped working to rest and heal. 

“I ended up on SNAP benefits and cash assistance for the first time in my life,” says Kylie. “I couldn’t access the medicine I needed at first and struggled for a couple of years to find relief.” 

As she took time to recover, Kylie’s mom supported her financially, and her close friends stepped in to help, too. By early 2025, Kylie had almost regained her health and was getting ready to start a new job. She knew it was time to clean up her finances, but she was nervous about owing late fees and the impact on her credit score.  

“I finally had the mental stamina to take care of the rest of my life, including buckling down and cleaning up my finances. I was nervous that if my new employer ran a background check, they might see the mess. And, I knew I needed help,” Kylie says. 

After googling free tax help NYC , Kylie found our website and called to make an appointment with our tax preparation team. Libretta, an Ariva Project Coordinator, called to meet with her the next day, providing her peace of mind and guidance about required paperwork. However, Kylie did not have her paystubs nor could she easily access her financial records. 

“Libretta was very kind, very clear. She made it very simple for me to contact federal and state agencies to get paystubs for the last four years. They sent me everything in a few weeks, and the Ariva tax team handled the rest.” 

One of her most thrilling surprises of filing her taxes? Discovering her student loans—over $20,000—had been paid off from federal programs and tax credits!

Kylie is still waiting to find out if she owes money or will receive a refund. She is hopeful it will balance out. In the meantime, she has also taken advantage of our free, one-to-one financial counseling and is on the path to budgeting and credit building. 

“I wish I had known about Ariva sooner. I procrastinated because I was afraid and didn’t know what to do. It was so easy, and now it’s done. The team at Ariva was so helpful!” 

Thank you to Kylie for sharing her story, just as she celebrates her 53rd birthday.  If you’re looking for free tax help NYC, we are here for you, too. As one of most trusted NYC free tax preparation providers, no tax challenge is too big for us to guide you through, step by step. Just like Kylie, we encourage you to handle your previous and unsettled tax filings as soon as you can. Don’t let feeling overwhelmed stop you from reaching out. Contact us here.

Photos are representative only