What should you pay for an attorney?
How much should you pay for a tax attorney? It depends on the issue you’re facing. If you’re a business owner, you can expect to pay a little bit more because these cases tend to have more complicated issues. Sometimes, cases can cost $2,000 to $3,000, but it depends on the complexity of the case itself.
A sole proprietor receiving a letter from the IRS two years after filing a return may be able to work with their CPA, instead of a tax attorney. However, it depends on the amount of tax liability. If the potential tax liability is not more than $40,000, it makes more sense to try to resolve it with your CPA first.
Now, there can be a lot of tax legal issues that come along with an IRS audit, but if it’s simple enough, your CPA should be able to resolve it. At Milikowsky Tax Law, we do work with a lot of CPAs for these types of cases. Many times, the CPA may do the majority of the work, and we provide the legal support, depending upon the technicality of the issue.
Case Study
Recently, we worked with a client— let’s call her Sandy— who worked as a W-2 employee in a hospital and also claimed to own a business. On that business, the client reported $100,000 of gross income and about $250,000 of expenses. Resulting in claiming a loss of $150,000.
After filing these taxes, the IRS sent the client a letter explaining they didn’t believe the return and requested an interview. Sandy brought the letter to our office before she became a client asking for our help.
During our conversation, I asked her what exactly she did for work because the claim reported her business as telephony, and that she is a W-2 employee at a health organization. Neither form of employment is related to each other.
Sandy explained she invested some money in a foreign country with a man who she didn’t know too well. He would tell her that she made $100,000 in a year but would ask her to wire money to him for expenses. He explained, “we spent $250,000 so you owe me $150,000”
When IRS reviewed her filings, the agency wondered how the client was losing money every year working in telephony. Upon speaking with the IRS agent, our firm’s biggest concern became the 15-year history of tax filings reporting a loss of money. The client essentially zeroed out her taxes through her paychecks.
What appeared to be a very simple issue in the beginning, with not a lot of value, became a bigger concern as we uncovered its complexities with the IRS agent assigned to her case, who we’ve worked with numerous times on these types of cases.
Who needs a tax attorney?
In addition to business owners facing IRS or EDD audits, CPAs need a good tax attorney to partner with
CPAs: Building Mutually Beneficial Relationships with Tax Attorneys
Reaching out to tax attorneys in your area to get to know them better. You may have access to attend and participate in networking events in your area or you can utilize your personal agenda to solicit tax advice for your own needs. Share your thoughts and values to see if you think someone will make a strong partner.
It’s easier to work with people you know, so it’s worth your while to invest time into building a relationship. If you’re willing to put in the effort to find the right partner, you may end up finding a tax attorney whose perspective and working style fit with yours.
Be Transparent
Honesty is one of the most important building blocks when forming a mutually beneficial partnership. No partner wants to be left in the dark, and neither do you. You should ensure that you are as transparent as possible and practice clear communication from the start. Doing so will ensure you both have a clear understanding of the partnership at any given point.
Be honest with the boundaries you’d like to set for the professional relationship, what you expect from them, and what they can expect from you.
Share Your Expertise
CPAs may have a broader understanding of tax filings specifically, but tax attorneys have a stronger background in legal matters and how to support their clients in the event of an audit of the tax filings their CPA prepared. Be generous with your expertise and share your knowledge with the partners you engage with. It will help them understand your role more clearly, and better identify whether or not to refer a potential client to you.
Explain the characteristics and needs of your ideal client to help them find referrals, and ask them for the same so you can identify when to refer a client to them. When you have a good understanding of a tax attorney’s expertise, and they have a good understanding of yours, your clients will get better service on both ends.
Refer Clients to Your Network
Once you’ve started building a network of tax attorneys that you know and trust, start referring clients to the ones that are best suited to their needs. This might involve a little professional matchmaking, and your recommendations should be based on the client’s best interests. Don’t be afraid to give the tax attorney a heads-up that you’re sending someone their way. Before you know it, they’ll likely be doing the same for you.
Stay On The Same Page
Whenever you’re working with another professional, it’s important that everyone is on the same page. Ensure that you secure your client’s consent to release their information, to ensure that any requests for records and paperwork are processed quickly and smoothly.
Whether you want your clients to experience more robust service, or you have specific legal concerns about a client and want to make sure you’re protected, partnering with a tax attorney is one of the best ways CPAs can serve their clients. It’s the kind of partnership that’s greater than the sum of its parts and has long-lasting benefits for everyone involved.