Tax Attorney in New York

Tax Attorney In New York

Finding a tax attorney in New York isn't all that difficult. Finding a good one, on the other hand, is another matter. You have to go about it in a particular manner.

Tax issues come in two forms. In one version, you need a tax attorney to create particular strategies or interpret tax code for you. This is known as proactive tax work. The second version is known as reactive tax work. It involves fighting contested issues against the IRS and various New York tax authorities. Whichever situation you find yourself in, the process of finding the perfect tax attorney works pretty much the same way.

The first thing to look for is specialization. Tax law is unlike any other practice are in the legal universe. You want an attorney who specializes in it and spends 100 percent of their time keeping up to date on the latest legislative changes, rule issues, private letter rulings and tax court cases. Any attorney that doesn't do this isn't up on the law and will not give you the quality service you need.

The second thing to look for is experience. Experience does not just mean years of dealing with tax law. It means experience dealing with your specific situation. Nearly all tax attorneys are familiar with handling IRS audits, but far fewer are familiar with arbitrage leveraged buyouts using an Irish trust. As the UBS Swiss bank account tax evasion mess shows, you really need to be getting good, specific advice.

The third thing to look for is a natural in a tax attorney in New York. What is it? Backbone. Tax agencies do not place nice and fair when they go after taxpayers. They'll try to get access to things they have no right to. They try to leverage you by freezing your bank accounts and placing liens on your assets. You want a tax attorney who is going to put a stop to this and come out swinging just as hard as the agents for the agency. Don't settle for a wallflower or you'll end up getting run over.