FAQs

No, we do not. Our consultations are billed at $350 for a one-hour session. We carefully screen inquiries to ensure that consultations are scheduled only for those who appear to genuinely need the assistance of a tax attorney.

Not necessarily. Often, the consultation alone is enough to address the issue or clarify the tax question. However, we do not provide formal legal advice during the consultation—only general insights and potential strategies. Legal advice that clients can rely on is only given once an attorney is officially retained.

A retainer fee is an upfront deposit applied toward future legal work. In most cases, we begin work only after a retainer is paid. The amount varies based on the expected complexity of the case, typically ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. For simpler matters, such as reviewing tax records, a $1,000 retainer may be sufficient. More complex or court-related cases, especially criminal ones, usually require a higher retainer. Our standard hourly rate is $350, billed against the retainer, with a lower rate applied for paralegal work.

Rarely. Flat-fee arrangements involve a single agreed-upon payment for a specific task or outcome, regardless of the time spent. Most of our work is billed hourly due to the variable nature of tax cases.

If you're asking the question, there's a good chance you do — or at least that a consultation would be beneficial to determine whether legal representation is necessary.

In situations where legal representation is needed, an accountant is not a substitute. While accountants are skilled in financial matters and tax preparation, they are not trained in legal procedures. If your case involves disputes with tax authorities, audits, or collections, a tax attorney is better equipped to handle the legal complexities. Additionally, only a tax attorney can represent you in court.

Yes, often they do. Accountants can assist with tasks like preparing and filing tax returns or performing calculations, typically at a lower cost than legal services.

We don’t typically handle current-year tax return preparation. That’s best left to an accountant. However, we do take on cases involving multiple years of unfiled returns, where legal and procedural experience is essential. In such cases, the actual return preparation may still be done by an accountant.

It varies. Cases involving years of unfiled returns or active disputes with tax authorities can take several months — or longer — to resolve. As we often say, “It took years to get into this situation; it may take months or years to resolve it properly."

Yes, when appropriate. More importantly, we provide the experience and judgment to determine whether an Offer-in-Compromise is the right solution. In some cases, other options may be more effective. Unfortunately, many tax resolution firms push this program without considering whether it’s truly suitable.

We don’t file bankruptcy cases ourselves, but we do evaluate whether bankruptcy is a viable solution. If it is, we refer clients to trusted bankruptcy attorneys and often assist in addressing the tax-related aspects of the case.

Yes, we frequently deal with property matters involving tax liens.