Important Tips For Choosing The Right Tax Attorney

11 March 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Share

If you have made, or the Internal Revenue Service thinks that you made, a mistake when filing your taxes in recent years, you need a qualified and experienced tax attorney to help you. Although it is easy to assume that the right tax attorney is the one with the big ad on bus benches or memorable commercials, the truth is that you need a tax attorney who has experience with your specific issues and time to devote to your concerns. In addition, it is also a good idea to be sure that you can afford the fees your new tax attorney will charge. Obviously, the last thing that you want to do is hire a tax lawyer to help you solve your financial problems, only to end up accruing debt you cannot afford to pay.

#1-Understand The Differences Between Your Accountant And Your Tax Lawyer

It is important to note that your accountant and your tax attorney can both prepare your tax returns. However, your accountant will be limited by the fact that their knowledge and experience ends with filing and explaining your taxes. Your new attorney's primary functions will be to keep you from getting in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service and representing you if the validity of your tax return is being questioned.

While an accountant can help you file your taxes, the assistance of a tax attorney will be particularly important if a previously filed tax return is now being questioned by the government.  

#2-Understand The Fine Print And Financial Details Associated With Your Tax Attorney

Although it may seem obvious, being sure that you can afford the total cost of your new attorney is essential. Be sure to avoid hiring or not hiring one attorney based solely on their fees, as you will also want to consider the experience that different lawyers have and how that impacts the total cost. Always get quotes from at least one attorney.

You will also want to consider the total number of billing hours that are projected as part of the total charges that you will be responsible for. If your attorney charges less per hour, but your contract mentions a higher number of expected hours to complete the project, your fees could end up higher than expected.     

In conclusion, choosing the right tax attorney can have a significant impact on how well you recover from your recent tax concerns. Therefore, it is essential to consider the above tips when choosing your new lawyer. For more information, talk to tax attorneys like Wiesner & Frackowiak, LC.