Need Help With a Tax Matter?
Whether you are starting a new business, have questions related to your personal taxes, or are being audited by the IRS, consulting a tax attorney early in the process can help you avoid bigger problems down the road. Tax law is complicated and constantly changing--and the consequences of doing something wrong can be severe. You don’t want to unwittingly draw the attention of the IRS or find out you didn’t take advantage of valuable tax-saving strategies you didn’t know about or understand.

You will want to have someone you can turn to for advice about your particular situation, including questions related to:

• filing a late tax return
• claiming or defending tax deductions
• an IRS audit
• IRS collection efforts, or
• bankruptcy as a solution.

An experienced tax lawyer will be well versed in the latest tax laws and understand how the IRS works, and can be your skilled advocate if things get complicated. Any IRS or significant tax-related matter is not something you want to tackle on your own.

Looking for a Lawyer?
At Lawyers.com, you’ll find a user-friendly search tool that allows you to tailor results by area of law and geography. You can also search for attorneys by name. Attorney profiles prominently display contact information, list topics of expertise, and show ratings—by both clients and other legal professionals.

Ready to Meet With a Lawyer?
Before hiring a lawyer or law firm, make sure to speak directly—preferably in person—to the attorney who will be primarily responsible for handling your case. Consider bringing to the conversation a list of questions and any documentation related to your situation. Remember that you don’t need to hire the first lawyer you consult and that, first and foremost, you want a lawyer you trust.

What to Ask a Lawyer
When gathering your thoughts and documents, think about what you’ll want to ask the lawyer. Consider including on your list questions about:

• the attorney-client privilege
• the lawyer’s familiarity with small business or personal tax law
• the lawyer’s experience with the IRS, the tax courts, and IRS audits
• who else will work on your case
• attorneys’ fees and other expenses
• how long it might take to resolve your case, and
• the lawyer’s initial impressions of your situation and options.