Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To provide high quality civil legal advice, representation, and education free of charge to the most vulnerable and at-risk children, families, elders, veterans and individuals in Palm Beach County so as to protect their personal safety, enhance (continues on Schedule O) their opportunities and living conditions, and promote self-sufficiency.
- Income
- $18.5 million
- Spending
- $17.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 5.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 56%
- Employees
- 194
- Volunteers
- 635
- Highest pay
- $184,581, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 60% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2535 of 35 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (8)
- $2.7 million spent. The Foster Children's Project - The Children Advocacy supports children from birth to age 12, along with their siblings, who are in the licensed custody of the State of Florida. Once appointed by the Juvenile Court, the Project's attorneys advocate for these children in all court and administrative proceedings to protect them from abuse and neglect. They also work to ensure that the children achieve permanent placement with either their biological or adoptive parents within a 12-month period. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the attorneys represented 437 clients in foster care.
- $2.0 million spent. The Fair Housing Project - The Individual Rights Advocacy offers community outreach, education, advocacy, and enforcement activities related to fair housing laws. Its goal is to ensure that individuals in Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Hendry, and St. Lucie counties are not denied housing based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or gender identity and expression. Besides advocating for victims of fair housing discrimination, the project also represents tenants facing eviction, ensuring their rights under the Florida Landlord Tenant Act are upheld. During the fiscal year 2024-25, the Fair Housing Project staff served 1,602 clients.
- $1.6 million spent. The Public Guardianship Project serves as the legal guardian of indigent residents of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties who have been declared incapacitated by the Probate Court. The goal of the Public Guardianship Project is to provide direct legal representation to its clients, as well as a full range of professional and supportive services, in order to ensure that their basic needs are met, their quality of life enhanced and that they are provided with all entitlement and financial assistance for which they are eligible. During FY 2024-2025, the Public Guardianship Project provided guardianship services to 217 indigent adjudicated incapacitated elderly who had no family or friends to assist them.
- $1.6 million spent. The Juvenile Advocacy Project provides court-appointed attorneys ad litem and social workers to children and youth ages 12 to 22 who have been removed from their caregivers' custody and are in the foster care system, the delinquency system or both. Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys attend all court proceedings and judicial reviews either with or on behalf of the child to ensure that court-mandated case plans are adhered to; that they receive appropriate treatments, services and placement; and that the child's expressed desires and goals are respected. During FY 2024-2025, Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys represented 472 clients in the dependency system, the delinquency system or both.
- $928,002 spent. The Domestic Violence Project offers survivors of abuse legal advice, consultation, and help with filing injunctions for protection (restraining orders), as well as representation at hearings for these injunctions. The project aims to protect clients from further violence and promote stability by establishing parenting plans and securing financial support for survivors when needed. In addition to legal assistance, the project provides referrals to community resources, helping survivors access personalized safety planning, support groups, transitional housing, and financial resources. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Domestic Violence Project served 790 clients.
- $808,399 spent. The Elder Law Project - Elder Advocacy offers legal advice, consultation, education, and representation to seniors aged 55 and above who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The project addresses issues such as elder abuse and exploitation, housing law, real property law, consumer law, guardianship matters, family law, and government benefits like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, and Medicaid. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Elder Law Project staff at Legal Aid assisted 1,158 seniors in our community.
- $4.7 million spent. During FY 2024-2025 other legal counseling service were provided to 4,711 individuals.
- $850,950 spent. The Family Law Project - The Family Law Project assists low-income individuals with family law matters pertaining to initial filings of dissolution of marriage which include issues of: equitable distribution, timesharing with minor children, parenting plans, alimony and child support. We also assist with paternity matters including issues of timesharing, parenting plans, and child support. During FY 2024-2025, Family Law Project attorneys represented 148 clients with divorce, paternity and property division issues.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1969.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.