How To Hire The Right Tax Law Lawyer By Asking These QuestionsYour tax law lawyer is going to hopefully be able to save you some serious cash in the long run by working on a deal with the IRS. In order to do that though you are going to have to ask some questions to the lawyer you are interested in retaining. Some of them are not the easiest and most comfortable questions, but the last thing you want at the end of your case is to have to start all over again with a huge bill to your lawyer and still owing more money to the government. This specific kind of attorney can also help you reduce your tax liability within your company. Whether you are in some sort of trouble with the IRS or don't want to be in the future here is a list of questions I have put together. Foremost the first question to ask is can this lawyer actually handle this case? Please be up front with them about the entire situation because the more they know the better they can assess your case. Ask them about some potential situations that could come from them helping you. Do they even think you have a chance at working a deal with the IRS? Next in line as far as importance goes would be cost. That one always makes me feel uncomfortable but at least it will be out on the table and they will be up front when discussing the charges. In some states the lawyers are supposed to set up all the schedules of costs before you even sign the retainer agreement. Many of them can tell you their cost per hour or if they have a flat rate over the phone if you explain your circumstances to them. I have even seen some charge a retainer fee so ask the tough questions. If the lawyer does not want to give your their costs up front or is avoiding your questions then leave and find one willing to do so. Ask your attorney if they specialize in different areas of law or finance and also how long he or she has been in business. A lawyer cannot give you a true list of their clients because of the client-attorney confidentiality privilege so instead ask them how many clients they have that may have the same situation as yours and how many of them are businesses vs. individuals. Some attorneys have extra qualifications that make them more qualified to be a tax law lawyer that you need to ask about. They could have their CPA or LLM which is an extra masters degree that states they spent a whole year only studying taxation classes. An enrolled agent is one that is authorized to appear in place of a taxpayer in court. There are rigorous comprehensive exams and continuing education courses that hold these enrolled agents to another level. You would definitely want an enrolled agent on your side knowing that they have studied tax code or worked for the IRS. The law states that anyone who is an attorney can pretty much waltz into a courtroom and try a case in Tax Court, but do you really want just any lawyer to represent your specialized state of affairs. In summary, remember that you are in charge of finding and hiring the best tax law lawyer to handle your case. Once you have located them it will be vital to make sure they are well equipped to reduce your tax debt. If you ask the tough questions in the beginning you will be most satisfied about your lawyers accomplishments in the end. |