If you are looking for a tax attorney to help you with your tax-related issues, such as filing your tax returns, dealing with tax audits, resolving tax debts, or planning for future tax events, you may wonder how to choose the right one for your situation. There are many tax attorneys out there, but not all of them may have the expertise, experience, and reputation that you need.
To help you find the best tax attorney for your needs, here are 5 questions that you should ask before hiring one:
1. What is your educational and professional background in tax law?
Tax law is a complex and specialized field that requires a high level of knowledge and skill. You want to hire a tax attorney who has the proper education and training in tax law, and who is licensed and authorized to practice in your state.
You should ask your potential tax attorney about their educational and professional background in tax law, such as:
• Where did they get their bachelor’s degree, and what was their major?
• Where did they get their law degree (JD), and did they specialize in tax law?
• Did they pursue any advanced or specialized degrees in tax law, such as a Master of Laws (LLM) in taxation?
• How long have they been practicing tax law, and what types of cases and clients have they handled?
• Are they a member of any professional associations or organizations related to tax law, such as the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Taxation, or the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)?
2. How do you charge for your services, and what are your fees?
Tax attorneys may charge for their services in different ways, such as by the hour, by the project, by the contingency, or by the retainer. You want to hire a tax attorney who has a clear and transparent fee structure, and who can provide you with an estimate of the total cost of your case.
You should ask your potential tax attorney about their fee arrangement, such as:
• How do they charge for their services, and what is their hourly rate, project fee, contingency fee, or retainer fee?
• How do they bill for their services, and how often do they send invoices?
• What are the additional costs or expenses that you may incur, such as filing fees, court fees, travel expenses, or expert fees?
• Do they offer any discounts, payment plans, or free consultations?
3. How do you communicate with your clients, and how often do you update them?
Tax matters can be stressful and time-sensitive, and you want to hire a tax attorney who can communicate effectively and efficiently with you, and who can keep you updated and informed about your case status and progress.
You should ask your potential tax attorney about their communication style and frequency, such as:
• How do they prefer to communicate with their clients, and what are their contact details and availability?
• How often do they update their clients on their case status and progress, and what methods do they use, such as phone calls, emails, letters, or online portals?
• How do they handle urgent or emergency situations, and how quickly do they respond to their clients’ questions and concerns?
• How do they protect their clients’ confidentiality and privacy, and what are their policies and procedures for handling sensitive or personal information?
4. What is your success rate and reputation in tax law?
Tax law is a competitive and challenging field, and you want to hire a tax attorney who has a proven track record and reputation in tax law, and who can provide you with the best possible outcome for your case.
You should ask your potential tax attorney about their success rate and reputation in tax law, such as:
• How many tax cases have they handled, and what were the results and outcomes?
• How many tax cases have they won, settled, or lost, and what were the reasons and factors?
• How many tax cases have they taken to trial, and what were the verdicts and judgments?
• How do they handle complex or difficult tax cases, and what are their strategies and techniques?
• How do they deal with the IRS or other tax authorities, and what are their relationships and interactions?
• How do they handle client feedback and reviews, and what are their ratings and testimonials?
5. How do you approach and handle my specific tax issue or situation?
Tax issues and situations can vary depending on your income, expenses, deductions, credits, exemptions, and other factors. You want to hire a tax attorney who can understand and address your specific tax issue or situation, and who can provide you with a customized and personalized solution.
You should ask your potential tax attorney about their approach and handling of your specific tax issue or situation, such as:
• What is your assessment and evaluation of my tax issue or situation, and what are the possible outcomes and consequences?
• What are the options and alternatives that I have, and what are the pros and cons of each option or alternative?
• What are the risks and challenges that I may face, and how can you help me overcome or mitigate them?
• What are the steps and actions that you will take to resolve my tax issue or situation, and what are the expected timelines and deadlines?
• What are the expectations and responsibilities that you have from me, and what are the expectations and responsibilities that I can have from you?
