Dallas Millennial Expands His Fight Against the Tax Man to Save Homes All Across the City

Helping hands are always appreciated, but volunteers who carry specialized skills and knowledge are priceless.Last summer, 28-year-old Will Toler, with an assist from his father, began to use his commercial tax consultant expertise -- free of charge -- to save the homes of residents struggling with rising property values in Hamilton Park, a historically black northeast Dallas neighborhood.Six months later, Will’s office phone rings constantly with requests from all over the city. Each case he digs into reveals similar characteristics: lack of an accurate deed, unclaimed exemptions and overvalued property.The deluge of calls for help has led the Tolers to allow Will to completely step away from the for-profit side of the family company and concentrate for at least a year on the pro bono work. “It’s like being in the Peace Corps -- except he gets to live at home,” his dad, Toby, told me this week.Will’s effort already has expanded into West Dallas, and City Hall contacted the Tolers a few days ago to ask if they also would help in South Dallas.While Dallas is a big-hearted volunteer community, the Tolers have discovered that few do-gooders are equipped with technical and specialized property tax knowledge. Getting deeds corrected, knowing which exemptions apply and understanding the tax protest process aren’t easy tasks to navigate on a good day.That’s the gap Will is trying to fill. “The hardest time to know what to do is when you are in a crisis situation,” he said.  Continue reading...