You don’t necessarily need a lawyer for every tax situation, but having an attorney on your side can be an enormous help if you run into specific issues.
This article will review some of the most common tax issues people face (both as businesses and individuals), and how a lawyer can help resolve them.
A tax attorney is a licensed attorney who is trained in the area of law. Often, this type of lawyer will also have a background and education in accounting, though this is not always the case. Because of this caveat, it’s a good idea to seek out tax lawyers who are also CPAs (certified public accountants). A lawyer with this training is more likely to be intimately familiar with the ins and outs of current tax law.
Tax lawyers can help with both technical issues and legal issues. To illustrate, let’s go over some common scenarios that would warrant the assistance of a tax attorney.
No one wants to think about the idea of one day leaving this world, but it is important to consider what happens to one’s heirs. After all, you want your family to benefit from the fruits of your labor, not Uncle Sam.
As of 2021, estates that exceed $11.7 million in total value will require a tax return, and your heirs could be on the hook for a 40% tax rate. There are ways to stay below this threshold without sacrificing family wealth by working with a tax lawyer.
Businesses and taxes go hand-in-hand, and the amount of taxes you’ll pay can vary greatly depending on your business structure. Choosing the proper setup from day one can save you a lot of headaches (and money) down the road.
A tax lawyer can help you decide whether your best bet is to form a sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, S-Corp, or an alternate entity. There are different tax implications for each.
If you made an error on your tax return or your subject to an IRS audit, it could feel like the end of the world. Even worse is if you’re facing criminal charges for fraud and tax evasion. In this situation, you want someone who knows both taxes and the law. A tax lawyer is uniquely situated to help with this type of issue.
As you can imagine, the stakes are high, and going up against the IRS is a lot like David facing Goliath. Having an experienced attorney on your side will show the IRS that you are taking the situation seriously, and you’ll have an advocate to negotiate on your behalf.
If you didn’t file taxes or the IRS is disputing the amount you owe, you might need an attorney to step in and help iron out the issue. Tax attorneys can advocate for several solutions that can give you more time to settle a bill and even reduce the amount you owe.
These solutions include:
Tax lawyers have a background that allows them to represent you in court while having in-depth knowledge of tax laws (and your rights). That’s a compelling reason, but it’s not the only one. Most notably, when you hire a tax lawyer, you have an attorney-client privilege. This means that your attorney cannot testify against you, even if you’re “guilty” or made a conscious error on your taxes.
Though there’s no guarantee that you’ll be rewarded with a favorable outcome, you can still be assured that you’ll have someone on your side representing you who is loyal and will do what they can to protect your finances and your freedom.
If you’ve encountered any of the tax issues described in this article, it’s important to get in touch with a tax lawyer as soon as possible. At Levy & Associates Tax Consultants, we have a comprehensive team of tax specialists, ranging from attorneys to former IRS officers. We offer a free tax analysis, so we encourage you to contact us today for help.
Levy & Associates is available for free initial consultations. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about the audit process or address any concerns about your specific situation.
There’s never a good time to be audited, and the time-consuming process will take away from your business or family if you try to face it alone. Let us handle and coordinate communication, so you can return to your daily life.