Finding the right tax attorney to handle your case can make all the difference. With the complexities of tax codes and the severity of penalties, having an experienced professional in your corner provides invaluable guidance and peace of mind. This article will explore eight tips for identifying and selecting a tax attorney that best fits your needs.
Understand Your Needs
Having a clear understanding of why you need a tax attorney is the critical first step. There can be several situations where hiring a tax law professional makes sense:
Tax planning and preparation – A tax attorney can help legally minimize your tax obligations through strategies like income shifting, maximizing deductions, sheltering income in retirement plans, etc.
Audit representation – If you receive an audit notice from the IRS or state taxing authority, a skilled tax attorney is invaluable in handling the audit process.
Tax disputes and collections – Tax attorneys represent clients in disputes over tax deficiencies, penalties, liens, levies, and other enforcement actions by tax agencies.
Non-filing resolution – If you have unfiled tax returns from previous years, an attorney can help get you compliant with minimum penalties.
Tax debt relief – Tax attorneys are experts in resolving tax debts through payment plans, penalty abatements, innocent spouse relief, offers in compromise, bankruptcy, and other options.
Understanding the specific nature of your tax situation will help narrow down the search to attorneys who specialize in that particular area of tax law. Companies such as https://silvertaxgroup.com/ emphasize the importance of expert tax representation and can be a valuable resource in your quest. Take the time to clearly articulate the details of your unique situation before beginning your search.
Ask for Recommendations
Positive word-of-mouth recommendations from people who have personally worked with tax attorneys in the past carry significant weight in making hiring decisions. Speaking with family, friends, colleagues, and financial advisors to ask for referrals is a great starting point in your search for a tax attorney.
Additionally, online reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and Avvo provide useful insights directly from past clients on important factors like communication, availability, transparency around fees, and overall satisfaction levels. However, make sure to check that the attorney handles specific cases similar to yours instead of just going by general reputation alone.
Check Qualifications and Credentials
Once you have a list of prospective tax attorneys, take the time to carefully verify their academic qualifications, professional certifications, and licenses. Here are some of the areas you must check;
- Verify academic credentials – JD and LLM in Taxation are common degrees.
- Check licenses – Licensed to practice law in your state, in good standing with the state bar.
- Look for certifications – Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Tax Counsel (CTC), etc. show tax law proficiency.
- Ensure they comply with the IRS Annual Filing Season Program for CPAs handling tax preparation.
- See if they are members of professional bodies like the American Bar Association, American Institute of CPAs, state bar associations, etc.
Look at Their Experience
When choosing a tax attorney, it’s crucial to prioritize experience. You’d want someone with a significant track record in tax law. Their history will give you insights into their familiarity with the Internal Revenue Code and their ability to gauge your case’s strengths and vulnerabilities. To delve deeper, consider the following criteria:
- Check if they’ve had enough experience handling federal and state tax cases similar to yours. Experience brings deep knowledge.
- Study representative past cases to assess their relevance to your situation.
- Inquire if they handle tax litigation in U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Courts, etc., especially if litigation might be on your horizon.
- For intricate cases, look for niche expertise in areas like offshore accounts, tax fraud, estate tax, employment tax, etc.
- Analyze their client list. Have they represented others in situations akin to yours?
Consider Their Fee Structure
The cost of hiring a tax attorney can significantly impact your decision, so it’s crucial to understand their billing system. Address fee discussions early on to ward off unexpected costs later. Here’s what you should consider:
- Understand common billing models: hourly rate, flat fee, or contingency fee (percentage of tax savings).
- Ensure fee estimates are given in writing, and clarify what’s included.
- Recognize that hourly rates can vary based on factors such as location, firm size, attorney experience, and the intricacy of the case.
- For bigger tax disputes, some might opt for hybrid fee models, which combine a lower hourly rate with a contingency percentage.
Assess Their Communication Skills
Communication is vital in any professional relationship. Your attorney should be adept at simplifying complex tax laws, codes, and regulations. You should always be in the loop about your case’s progress. To ensure clear and consistent communication, keep these pointers in mind:
- Insist on clear communication. Legal jargon should be translated into plain English.
- The right attorney will distill complex tax laws and strategies into terms you can grasp.
- Communication should be a two-way street. Ensure they’re responsive to your inquiries and offer regular updates.
Availability and Accessibility
Evaluate whether the tax attorney has sufficient availability in their schedule to dedicate adequate time and resources to your case. Tax cases often require substantial time commitments to gather records/evidence, file motions, represent clients in audits/hearings, and negotiate with tax authorities.
If the attorney already has a very heavy caseload, you may face delays in getting issues resolved in a timely manner. Check if they have paralegals and administrative support staff to handle routine tasks efficiently so the attorney can focus fully on your case.
Ensure Confidentiality
Reputable tax attorneys follow strict protocols and procedures to protect client confidentiality, given the sensitive nature of financial and tax records involved. They should be able to provide concrete assurances that your information will remain private and explain the specific safeguards deployed.
Tax issues can often get contentious, so you would want ironclad assurance that any confidential documentation or communication you share cannot be accessed by the IRS or any other third parties and used against you.
Conclusion
Finding the ideal tax attorney requires thorough research and due diligence. Take time to understand your specific needs, shortlist candidates based on qualifications, experience, and reviews, and evaluate them closely through preliminary consultations. This rigorous selection process will help identify the right attorney to handle your unique tax situation.
