Tax Attorney / Lawyer Information
 

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An experienced tax attorney can do things an accountant cannot. A tax attorney can thoroughly research a tax statute, for instance, and master it. He or she will know its legislative history, as well as previous IRS rulings and Treasury regulations on it. By penetrating the many court decisions involved in the litigation of the tax statute, he or she can give you better insight into your rights. For the most part, accountants lack the training and experience that permits them to delve into the complexity of tax law on a particular issue. It's also unlikely that the accountant can take time out of their busy accounting practice to solve the vast array of difficult tax law questions that come to bear on a tax statute. These fundamentally different roles are also responsible for the difference in salaries between the two professions.

The most critical attribute of a good tax attorney is creativity with tax law. A creative tax attorney will use good interpretative skills in order to find support of their client's position. This may mean finding a gap in a statute or a regulation (also known as a "tax loophole"), permitting favorable tax treatment in situations that are previously not covered by the statute. There might also be inconsistencies within the IRS in its published positions or private ruling letters.

As with all service providers, we strongly suggest you do your due diligence in order to make the most informed decision. Although there may be certain advantages to hiring a tax attorney, it might be in your best interest to speak with your CPA and ask for his or her advice. This person will have unique knowledge of your situation and will be able to give good counsel given the circumstances surrounding your tax case.