| Whether you're a business owner or a regular old Joe | | | | about tax law that this person might have published. |
| needing the assistance of a tax attorney, you need to | | | | This is an indicator that the tax attorney is potentially |
| be ready to invest some time into finding the one that's | | | | an authority in the area of tax law. |
| right for you. Tax attorneys not only have special | | | | 3. Find a tax attorney that specializes in the issue |
| training, but good tax attorneys also have extensive | | | | you're facing. When you interview a potential tax |
| experience interacting and negotiating with IRS | | | | attorney, tell him your unique situation and ask him if he |
| auditors. The job of an IRS auditor is to get as much | | | | has ever handled a similar situation. While the attorney |
| money as legally possible from you so that the | | | | is prohibited from sharing identifying details about other |
| government can have it. They are relentless and often | | | | clients, engage him in a conversation that provides |
| intimidating, so if you find yourself the subject of an | | | | ample evidence for you to determine whether or not |
| audit, you should immediately find an advocate in the | | | | he has enough experience with your type of situation |
| form of a tax attorney. Here are five steps to getting | | | | to help you effectively. |
| the best tax attorney to work for you. | | | | 4. Find a tax attorney who is a skilled communicator. |
| 1. Find a tax attorney with experience. Find out what | | | | Part of a tax attorney's job is to negotiate with the |
| kind of formal education she has and what kinds of | | | | IRS agent on your behalf. This means that the |
| certifications she has. How long has she been a tax | | | | attorney needs to return phone calls promptly and |
| attorney? Another important factor to research is | | | | conduct himself in a professional manner. He should be |
| whether or not she has worked for the IRS in the | | | | clear and articulate, and should be able to discuss your |
| past. Former IRS agents are invaluable as tax | | | | particular case in terms that you can understand. If |
| attorneys, and if you have the opportunity to hire one | | | | your potential attorney has difficulty expressing himself |
| to represent you, you should take advantage of it. Tax | | | | or doesn't communicate with you in a prompt and |
| attorneys who have worked for other financial | | | | professional manner, move on to the next candidate. |
| authorities are also valuable, so if you can't find a | | | | 5. Find several attorneys from which to choose. When |
| former IRS agent to work for you, find someone who | | | | you're on the hunt for a qualified tax attorney, don't put |
| has worked for another large financial authority. | | | | all of your eggs in one basket. Get several different |
| 2. Find a tax attorney with quality education. The | | | | recommendations from friends and family members, or |
| minimum degree that your tax attorney should have is | | | | from other business owners who have been audited in |
| the LLM in taxation (Master's of Law in Taxation). This | | | | the past. Part of managing an audit is timeliness, so if |
| is evidence that the attorney completed at least one | | | | your first choice of attorney doesn't pan out, you don't |
| year of study in tax law. Ideally, you should find a tax | | | | have time to start a new search from scratch. You |
| attorney who not only has an LLM, but who is also | | | | should already have a list of three or four and be |
| committed to continuing education in the field of tax | | | | ready to pursue interviews if your first few aren't going |
| law. This is critical since tax laws change regularly. One | | | | to be able to do a good job for you. |
| way to find out whether a tax attorney is well-versed | | | | Choose your tax attorney wisely and you'll be pleased |
| in tax law is to conduct an internet search for articles | | | | with the results! |