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Tax Law

Hiring an Experienced Tax Attorney to Deal With Tax Debts

Hiring an experienced Tax Attorney can mean the difference between paying the right taxes and being subjected to a criminal investigation. Every year millions of dollars are lost because individuals fail to file their taxes correctly. When you hire a tax professional you will have a professional looking at your taxes for you on a case by case basis. The most important thing when it comes to hiring a tax professional is that you do not pay a small fee to get the initial consultation. It is important that you take the time to find out as much as possible about the tax consulting and services that you are considering.

 

 

You should interview several attorneys before making a final decision as to who you will ultimately hire for your tax controversy. Each attorney has his/her own strengths and weaknesses and some specialize in criminal defense while others focus primarily on revenue issues. If you are going to use one attorney to represent you need to be sure that they will handle your case appropriately and in a manner that will best protect your assets. Some attorneys are excellent at defending clients who have been charged with criminal offenses but may not be able to successfully defend you against an audit.

 

Hiring an attorney does come with its own set of benefits. For example, an attorney hired by a business or self-employed individual will not only be familiar with technical tax matters but will also have dealt with similar legal issues in the past. This experience will provide them with an advantage over a new independent contractor who may not be familiar with the complex IRS procedures. In addition, hiring an attorney will help you avoid having to deal with the technical tax issues as the audit progresses. Most attorneys who are handling your audit will already be familiar with the necessary tax documentation and tax resolution strategies that you need to prepare and complete on your own.

 

Hiring an attorney can also protect you from having to deal with criminal charges brought against you as a result of an audit. An audit is considered a criminal activity by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). When taxpayers are accused of criminal tax evasion or fraudulently trying to avoid paying their taxes, the IRS will aggressively pursue these cases in order to ensure that the tax debt is collected. If a taxpayer’s assets are seized, sold, or otherwise taken in order to satisfy the tax debt, it will be very important that you retain the services of an attorney who is well versed in tax law.

 

The criminal justice degree that an attorney holds will play an important role in protecting your rights and fighting for you during any audit. Attorneys who specialize in tax law can use a variety of different strategies to ensure that they are successful in defending you from potential criminal prosecution. One such strategy that many attorneys utilize is what is called “innocent spouse” defense. If you are accused of making false statements or willfully avoiding meeting with the required federal forms or documentation, an experienced attorney may be able to convince a jury or judge that you were not intentionally misleading or purposefully trying to avoid paying taxes.

 

As an honest tax payer, you likely have a good reason for paying your taxes on time. However, even if you did not intentionally fail to pay your taxes, there can be serious consequences if you are found guilty. If you hired the right attorney, you may be able to avoid facing potentially stiff penalties and the potential loss of assets and wages that you will owe.