How to Determine When to Hire a Tax Attorney

Every so often tax situations arise and you’ll need the services of a tax attorney. In general, may citizens prefer to handle tax situations on their own or with an accountant. There are occasions, however, when the service of a tax attorney is needed.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Evaluate your tax situation. If you have received letters from either the sate, local or Federal government regarding your taxes, it may not be necessary to hire a tax lawyer yet. Review the correspondence; contact the IRS, State or local government to see if the tax problem can be easily rectified.

2. Contact an accountant first. Before hiring a tax attorney to resolve your situation, visit with your accountant. Your accountant might be able to straighten out the problem without the need for legal intervention.

3. Determine if you’re in over your head. If you decide to resolve the issue yourself, be sure to keep accurate notes and honor all deadlines. If you find that things are beginning to spiral out of control, its time to seek help.

4. Don’t wait until your bank account is levied, your house has a lien attached to it and the late fees and interest accruing is more than you can handle. The longer you wait to hire a tax attorney, and the larger the mess, the higher your legal fees will be.

5. Seek a tax attorney’s help for non income tax filing situations. A tax attorney doesn’t sit on a shelf waiting for the April 15th tax deadlines and problems that may ensue. Consider seeking legal tax expertise when setting up stock portfolios, estate planning and/or trust funds or other financial accounts that will have tax ramifications is wise. It’s better to seek help beforehand rather than when you’re knee deep in trouble.

Resources

• Attorney Pages.com