Tax law is a highly specialized area of expertise and there are many different types of taxes. Thus, not all lawyers have expertise in all types of tax issues or problems. As a result, it would be a good idea on your part to prepare a bit more in looking for a good tax lawyer than might be the case with other areas of legal expertise.
Many Americans fear an audit from the IRS more than anything else. If you are targeted for any kind of audit, you need to have a knowledgeable tax lawyer on retainer. Some audits are less severe than others; the IRS employs three different kinds of audits. If any of them are happening to you, the tax attorney is in the best position to help you.
One form of tax audits is correspondence. In this situation, the IRS normally notifies you that there are errors on your tax return and they might request documentation and/or additional funds. It is up to the individual to analyze this request and determine whether they can provide the appropriate funds or send the requested documents. In some cases it might make you more comfortable to retain a tax lawyer. The decision is up to you and your comfort level with the requests from the IRS.
Some IRS audits are conducted through mailing correspondence back and forth. If you are ever called into the IRS office for an audit it could be a bit more serious. It is very important that you have a knowledgeable tax audit attorney to help. Without an attorney the IRS will have free range to ask you questions which an attorney will normally put a stop to. A good tax attorney will be well worth the money spent.
There is the dreaded field audit. In a field audit, the IRS agent physically goes to your location to audit you. They actually go through all you documents looking for evidence to prove you did something incorrect. In a field audit, it is highly recommended that you get a specialized lawyer for tax audits. A tax audit lawyer will help alleviate some of the nervousness that you will have with a field audit. They will help to direct the audit in the right direction since they know the areas that you are most concerned about.
When the IRS comes calling, it is extremely important to take the situation seriously. They aren't auditing you unless the agency believes you are playing games with your taxes. The agent's mindset will not be whether you have done something wrong. Instead, it will be how to find proof you've done it. This mindset often leads to further tax assessments and even jail time for tax evasion.
If they contact you regarding an audit, you could be looking at years of stress. Once you make the smart choice of retaining a tax audit lawyer, you need to pick the right one.
You should choose a tax audit lawyer who will fight your case with high competence and nothing less. They say that the definition of wisdom is learning from your mistakes; however, this is not the time to allow for mistakes. Your lawyer should already possess said wisdom, and have at least seven years of experience in handling tax audits. You definitely want to avoid a situation in which an inexperienced lawyer is learning from his mistakes while defending you.
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