Should I Call a Tax Lawyer?

Should I Call a Tax Lawyer?
By Clifford N. Ribner

With tax season right on your doorstep, it may be very tempting to follow Wesley Snipe’s example and declare yourself a tax denier, and not pay your income taxes on the grounds that you believe you don't owe them.

Here, if you fall behind or fail to pay your taxes, you could find yourself facing considerable jail time and heavy fines. And if the tax rates increase, you could end up owing the IRS more than you make, which will make paying off everything you owe virtually impossible.

Paying tax in a gray area

Most people have ordinary jobs with salaries that have withholding. As such, they rarely get into deep trouble with the IRS, unless they get in over their heads with gambling or something similar.
The next thing you know, you've got the IRS sitting outside your door.

Why you shouldn't try to deal with the IRS yourself

Tax law is an extremely complex field. For more than 100 years now, tax lawyers have been finding ingenious ways of helping their clients avoid tax, and the tax writers have come up with equally ingenious ways of eliminating those loopholes.

What to look for in a tax lawyer

Hiring a tax lawyer is perhaps the most important decision you'll have to make when dealing with the IRS. When you're already behind on taxes, this lack of experience can get you into even deeper trouble.

Most people go to accountants about tax problems. Unfortunately, accountants are not trained in how to handle real litigation. Look for a lawyer who has a specialized degree in taxation, and preferably graduated from a nationally recognized law school like the NYU School of Law. When you're dealing with the IRS, you need a tax lawyer who knows what he's doing, and has the credentials to back it up.

If you're too far behind on your taxes, the only person you can talk to about fixing it is a tax lawyer. Don't put your livelihood at risk by declaring yourself a tax denier or trying to interface with the IRS yourself. If you're behind on your taxes, find a reputable tax lawyer today and save yourself and your business.