Are you looking for a tax lawyer in New York? Then read our guide for tips on finding the best tax attorney for you…
Taxes are one of the few things in life that can seem troublesome when you pay them and yet more troublesome when you don’t pay them. Sometimes a tax accountant is just not enough when taxes become troublesome enough to involve legal proceedings. Tax lawyers are highly trained specialists who are not only sympathetic to the tax trouble that their clients are experiencing, but clear-headed, educated and experienced enough to do whatever it takes to solve tax-related problems.
Tax Attorney Advantages
Once you hire a tax attorney your relationship with the IRS or other taxation bodies changes significantly in regard to your rights and privileges. No other professionals, such as accountants, that offer services related to taxation matters can make that claim. Under federal and state law you are now protected by attorney client privilege. Any communication between you and a tax attorney is now confidential in the eyes of the law. Other tax professionals might be forced to disclose such information to the IRS or other taxation body; attorney client privilege means that any adversarial entity, such as the IRS, can never force you to reveal confidential financial information relating to your case without your express permission. This is a very common privilege and is understood by all parties in tax-related cases. It is not an admission of any sort of guilt and no stigma is attached to it.
What to Look for in a Tax Lawyer
A tax attorney should typically possess advanced degrees in accounting and the laws related to taxation in the State of New York. You should inquire about the kind of education that any potential tax attorney currently has and the continuing education initiatives they take on an ongoing basis. If a tax lawyer mentions negotiation training as well – all the better.
Negotiation and presentation skills, whether gained through education or experience, are absolutely crucial for a tax attorney to have. A tax lawyer must be able to present your case to the tax authorities in the most advantageous manner possible. Tax cases typically involve extensive preparation and keen attention to strategy if a satisfactory resolution to your tax problems is to be achieved. Aside from you and your tax attorney, the other party that wants to settle your tax matters most urgently is frequently the IRS or other taxation authority. Often the settlement that can be achieved is as a mere fraction of the amount that a tax authority has initially cited as your tax liability.
In most cases only an experienced tax attorney can construct the kind of factually based presentation of tax issues that serves to convince the authorities that a settlement is in everyone’s best interests.
Other Expectations
Unlike many other legal practitioners who offer to represent clients on a “contingency” basis the services of a tax attorney are often billed for on an ongoing basis. You should carefully weigh what you can afford to pay against what you expect to gain when seeking the services of a tax attorney. Carefully scrutinize any tax attorney using referrals, records of settlements achieved and the pointed questions you may need to ask during an initial consultation.
