Job Description for a Tax Attorney
A tax attorney is a lawyer who deals exclusively with tax-related problems. Many times, these lawyers use their skills to negotiate with authorities, such as the IRS, but they also may give their clients advice to help them avoid tax problems. Tax law can be a lucrative career option for those who are good with numbers and have strong communication skills.
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Duties
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Tax attorneys help their clients remain compliant with state and federal tax authorities and settle back taxes; they also perform work in such areas as estate, property and gift taxes. Preventative services include setting up stock portfolios and examining payroll procedures. Tax attorneys also may try to negotiate a compromise for clients who are already in trouble with the IRS that would allow them to settle back taxes for less than they owe. For businesses that owe tax authorities more than they can afford to pay, tax attorneys can prepare a corporate-restructuring proposal that allows the business to escape most penalties.
Skills
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A vital skill for tax attorneys is communication. Tax lawyers must be able to explain them to clients and negotiate settlements with IRS revenue officers and file appeals. Successful tax lawyers also are creative. They often must look at data in unorthodox ways to create custom plans that work for each client's unique situation. To deal with complex tax law, attorneys must be detail-oriented and possess impeccable math skills.
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Qualifications
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Tax law is a highly technical field that requires at least seven years of education after high school, including four years in an undergraduate program and three years in law school. Tax attorneys also must pass the bar exam and be licensed through their state. Depending on the state, the bar exam can consist of both a written test and an ethics exam.
Compensation
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According to 2010 Salary.com figures, the median salary for a tax lawyer with less than two years of experience is $86,500, while the median salary for tax lawyers with at least eight years of experience is $165,700. These numbers are higher than U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers for all lawyers. According to BLS statistics, in 2008, the median salary for lawyers nine months after graduation was $68,500, while the median annual wage for all lawyers was $110,600.
Job Outlook
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According to the BLS, there were more than than 750,000 attorneys in the U.S. in 2008, and the number of job opportunities for all lawyers is expected to increase by 13 percent through 2018. However, as law grows more complex, employers are expected to prefer law school graduates who have experience in more specialized fields, such as tax law. The BLS states that law school graduates can expect to face tough competition as they enter the job market and should be willing to relocate or accept positions they might not normally consider to increase their odds of finding a job.
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References
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