A tax attorney has received a Juris Doctorate, a doctoral degree in law, and has passed the bar examination.

Attorneys gain specialization through years of experience. Over time, they practice their skills in a specific field of law. Tax attorneys can help you understand legal statutes and resolve tax dilemmas. Some common concerns are simple, such as tax return preparation, to more complex areas such as gifts, property, sales, estate and federal income tax.

We are headquartered in Troy, Michigan. However, we have clients in almost every state.

Failure to file tax returns can be a crime. Make sure to fix the problem or the IRS will file a Substitute for Return (SFR) on your behalf. When they prepare it themselves, they do it in the light most favorable to them. In most cases, you will be responsible for the taxes that are past due. The next step is to file outstanding returns and try to work out payment problems with the IRS. Seek the advice of a tax expert to protect yourself, especially from the risk of being charged with a crime. 

Inheritances are generally not subject to federal or state income tax. However, if you are inheriting an Individual Retirement Account ("IRA"), there most likely will be an income tax due on the proceeds.

If you have any questions about an inheritance, please contact us. 

Revenue agents are in charge of determining how much you owe. Revenue officers are in charge of collecting the determined amount.

A revenue agent's job is to conduct tax audits of individuals and businesses, in addition to trusts and non-profit organizations, to figure out their tax liability. Revenue agents generally conduct tax audits of the most complicated tax returns, ranging from small "Schedule C" businesses to the largest multi-national corporations.

Revenue Officers are assigned to the most difficult IRS tax debt cases. Those individuals or businesses that the IRS has been unable to collect from through letters, phone calls, and tax levies and garnishments generated by IRS computers.

A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, completed a five-year business degree and all necessary exams. CPAs are generally utilized in complicated tax situations. CPAs abide by federal laws while minimizing your tax liability and maximizing benefits. While they can complete work similar to what a tax attorney can do, they cannot legally represent you if you have IRS issues. We work very closely with CPA's to make sure you are getting the best representation possible.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is a department that was created in response to violations of taxpayer rights by the IRS. The National Taxpayer Advocate is a person appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury and reports directly to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. Each state has one local taxpayer advocate, who is independent of the local IRS office and reports directly to the National Taxpayer Advocate.

Unfortunately, the Taxpayer Advocate Service is restricted in its ability to control the actions of IRS employees and cannot constitute limitations to the law.

The Taxpayer Advocate’s office can be very helpful in certain situations. The question is to know when to use them. These usually help resolve the tax problems of low-income taxpayers. Most taxpayers who have complicated tax problems or problems where a lot of money is at stake will need the help of a tax attorney who knows the tax law inside and out.

1. You have committed tax fraud or evasion.
2. The IRS has placed a lien, a legal claim against your property to secure payment of your tax debt, or a levy, taking the property to satisfy the tax debt against you.
3. You are being audited by the IRS.
4. You are interested in obtaining tax debt relief.
5. You have unreported offshore bank accounts.
6. You are planning a major financial transaction.
7. You have a tax issue you don’t fully understand.
8. You don’t want to sit on the phone with the IRS all day.

While the answer is yes, you have to remember that it is their job to collect your taxes. They are not trying to be your friend; they are just trying to carry out their job in a polite and professional manner. They are not looking to save you money; they are trying to collect taxes from you along with penalties and fines. That is why you would want a trained tax attorney to help protect your best interests.

A common question that gets asked is, "Will the IRS be suspicious if I employ a tax attorney?"

The answer is no. Most IRS Revenue Officers are pleased when a tax attorney gets involved. That’s because the agent knows the case will be resolved quickly. In cases that require critical dollar amounts or complicated questions of tax law, IRS agents know the process will go smoother while working with an attorney.

The tax law provides in Internal Revenue Code Section 7421(b)(2) that the IRS must stop an interview if a taxpayer states he would like to consult with a tax attorney. So an IRS agent who tries to talk you out of engaging a tax attorney may be violating the law.