Tax attorneys (and CPAs) also represent their clients when the government questions their tax returns and payments. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), state, and local tax authorities all have the power to question and audit tax returns.
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Dec 12, 2019 · Tax Resolvers is an organization made up of highly qualified tax and financial professionals who are available to assist with your IRS and state tax issues, answer your questions, and work with the IRS or state tax agency to negotiate a settlement or payment plan on your behalf. Friendly and responsive service Free consultation
Estate planning and tax attorneys both work to design and implement estate plans that minimize the federal estate tax, state estate tax and inheritance tax, generation skipping tax, and gift tax. In addition, they always keep an eye toward income taxes, especially capital gains taxes, as well.
Depending on the type of tax problem you have, it may require a significant amount of negotiation and having a tax attorney on your side for this can be a big plus. Power of Attorney Representation Like CPAs and enrolled agents, a tax attorney is a type of tax professional that can legally represent you before the IRS.
A tax attorney must earn a JD or Juris Doctorate and pass the state bar exam for licensing. Some may continue their education and earn a Master of Laws in taxation or certification as a public accountant (CPA). An attorney can represent clients before the IRS for audits, collections and appeals but so can a CPA.
Whether you’re starting a business or you anticipate having a taxable estate when you die, a tax attorney can help you navigate the complex and technical field of tax law.
A tax attorney, on the other hand, has an official degree in tax-related finances. They must pass the bar exam for their state of residence before they can practice law.
IRS tax law code fills almost 2,000 pages of legalese, but tax attorneys and their paralegals are very familiar with each section of code. They’ll be able to quickly sort through the mess to figure out what applies to your situation.
A CPA is an individual trained in managing money and finances from a more holistic perspective . They’re an excellent choice if you have a relatively unusual tax situation to consider, such as being a business owner, being married/divorced with children, or having a significant amount of investments to protect.
Tax troubles are stressful. Working with an experienced tax attorney can ease some of the pressure and ensure your problems are handled quickly and efficiently. As an individual with tax problems, you’ll feel more comfortable dealing with the IRS. As a business owner, you’ll feel more secure in the direction your business is taking.
Not every tax problem has to do with fraud, avoidance, or unpaid back taxes. You may need to hire an attorney to help you with a litany of tax-related situations.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty common for tax resolution companies to claim they have attorneys on staff when they actually don’t. The only way to avoid this situation is to ask for the attorney’s name and bar number.
What Does a Tax Lawyer Do? 1 They do not help clients commit fraud or tax evasion; however, they do develop and implement ways to work within the tax system to the benefit of their clients. Tax planning is perfectly legal. 2 Tax attorneys (and CPAs) also represent their clients when the government questions their tax returns and payments. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), state, and local tax authorities all have the power to question and audit tax returns.#N#Tax attorneys may handle taxing authority's questions via telephone or mail, correspondence audits, and full blown audits.#N#Tax attorneys also represent their clients during tax arbitration with a taxing authority such as the IRS. The goal is to settle the tax matter amicably without litigation, while asserting taxpayer rights.#N#In addition, they represent their clients in tax court, typically on a federal level, if the government and the tax payer cannot reach an accord. 3 Tax attorneys (and CPAs) also perform internal audits on businesses (and individuals
A business hires an independent tax attorney to review its taxes and books to determine whether they are paying enough taxes or paying too much in taxes.
Tax planning to minimize current and future taxes
Estate planning and tax attorneys both work to design and implement estate plans that minimize the federal estate tax, state estate tax and inheritance tax, generation skipping tax, and gift tax. In addition, they always keep an eye toward income taxes, especially capital gains taxes, as well.
They do not help clients commit fraud or tax evasion; however, they do develop and implement ways to work within the tax system to the benefit of their clients. Tax planning is perfectly legal.
When working with a tax lawyer they will only disclose the information that is required in order to resolve your tax problem. Negotiating Skills: Tax lawyers are known for their negotiating skills. These skills come in handy even when negotiating with the IRS.
A tax lawyer is a great resource to have when you want someone else to handling IRS dealings and negotiations with the IRS. A tax lawyer can represent you before the IRS and even represent you in tax court through IRS power of attorney.
Owe Taxes & Cannot Pay: Typically if an individual cannot pay their taxes the IRS will suggest entering into an installment agreement and paying overtime until the taxes are paid in full. Sometimes it isn’t as simple as just entering into a payment plan and making monthly payments. What if you don’t have enough income to pay the monthly payments? Or what if paying the IRS will leave you with little to pay your other expenses? There are many other options available, most of these options need to be negotiated with the IRS. Tax lawyers are knowledgeable in IRS code and understand how the many relief programs work. Tax lawyers are also financially knowledgeable in other advanced financial solutions. With the combination of knowing about the IRS and advanced financial solutions, a tax lawyer will likely be able to find the best solution for your unique financial and tax standing.
Going to Tax Court: One of the benefits of using a tax lawyer over other types of tax professionals is being able to have them represent you in court. Hiring a tax lawyer when going to tax court is a good idea since you get the benefits of the “tax lawyer client privilege”, special tax law training, and superior negotiating skills.
The IRS will charge steep penalties on unfiled/unpaid taxes and will take harsh collection actions against individuals that have not filed/have not paid.
Privileged Communications: You can be assured that anything you disclose to your tax lawyer or their staff, it will stay confidential. A tax lawyer will never be able to be forced to disclose information that you have provided them.
If you have been accused of tax fraud, even if you are at fault, a tax lawyer is the best type of tax professional to have on your side. The privileged communications between your tax lawyer and you will ensure the only information disclosed to the IRS will be the information needed to take care of your case and get the tax fraud case behind you.
Both government organizations administer the income tax code; the IRS handles federal taxes and the Franchise Tax Board handles California state taxes. Because it has fewer resources, the FTB will piggyback off results of an IRS audit but focus on areas where the margin of taxpayer error is higher:
Going businesses make particularly attractive targets for the IRS because they: 1) usually have a variety of business assets that the IRS can seize to satisfy the tax liability and 2) going businesses generate cash which can also be used to pay the liability.
A tax attorney can guide you through confusing IRS documents; there are almost 2000 different IRS forms and publications to wade through, many of them not written in simple language.
Having an attorney help you with an Offer in Compromise increases the chances the tax agency will accept it. There are many hoops to jump through to meet the stringent requirements for acceptance:
If you ignore notifications from the tax agencies, you could be charged with tax evasion or other criminal charges. A lawyer can help you either avoid being charged or defend you if charges are leveled against you.
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) knows the ins and outs of financial documentation, planning, and the implications of various financial decisions, including those dealing with taxes. They are trained in maintaining business and financial records. Their focus is on compliance.
The IRS and FTB can issue liens against your personal or real property as collateral against your tax debt payments. An experienced tax attorney can help you negotiate installment payment plans, Offers in Compromise, and other remedies for your tax liability.
A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people.
In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...
Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.
About half the 50 states use grand jury indictments in criminal prosecutions. Grand juries hear cases brought by State's Attorneys, and only the evidence and witnesses presented by the State's Attorney are considered.
For example, the Cook County State's Attorney in Chicago has more than 900 lawyers and a total staff of 1,600 employees [source: Cook County State's Attorney's Office ]. Assistant State's Attorneys, also known as Deputy State's Attorneys,are the ones who actually appear in court, file the legal briefs and interview witnesses. The State's Attorney, on the other hand, is in charge of policy, staffing and running the office, and making decisions about certain high-profile cases.
But a State's Attorney hardly ever does the job alone . Many have offices that contain dozens or even hundreds of appointed assistant or deputy State's Attorneys, as well as support staff. These assistants or deputies are the ones who routinely appear in court, representing the State's Attorney's office.
The State's Attorney can be the debt collector for local government, especially when it comes to property taxes and bankruptcy issues.The office also offers legal advice and representation for local government human service agencies when it comes to child protection and welfare, child support, and adult services, including civil commitment hearings, welfare assistance and vulnerable adult issues.
The California State Board of Equalization, also known as the BOE or sometimes the SBOE, is the State body responsible for issuing and administering sales licenses, permits and use accounts, as well as overseeing sales tax audits and the collection of any unpaid sales and use taxes. Anyone who sells goods or services in California is required to:
Sales tax audits and the appeals process that follows them are extremely complicated due to the technical nature of how the Board of Equalization assesses sales tax.
If you attempt to represent yourself in an audit and make a single misstep at any stage, things can go south very fast. Once you lose control of the audit process and are left with the deficiency, serious consequences can start stacking up:
While dealing with the fallout of a BOE sales tax audit is rarely pleasant, it is possible to mitigate the effect on your business, if you have the right help. When you confront an audit on your own, you are dealing with the complexities of the system for the first time and navigating your way through this process without a map.
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