It is extremely upsetting to be selected for an audit. The Government is an imposing adversary and its focus is not your well-being. Making large assessments, asserting penalties and finding every possible adjustment available is what you can expect from the IRS revenue agent or an auditor from the state authorities. If you are faced with a tax problem you owe it to yourself to get the best counsel available. Staying with your tax return preparer is not recommended for a number of reasons.
First, he or she is probably not an attorney so all communications with your accountant, enrolled agent or tax return preparer is not protected by the attorney-client privilege. Second, the tax return preparer may be facing preparer penalties for the return he or she prepared so a definite conflict of interest arises. In other words, the return preparer certainly has self-interest in defending his or her own work and that is probably not in your best interests. Find and retain an attorney who specializes in tax problems.
Mr. Leonard, both an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant, has represented numerous businesses and individuals in the complex and often difficult area of IRS tax controversies. There are very few tax practitioners with the experience, commitment and knowledge of Robert Leonard. Call the Law Offices of Robert Leonard to schedule a consultation directly with Mr. Leonard regarding your particular tax situation. Whether a case is at civil audit, the IRS collection stage or has reached the level of criminal investigation, the need for astute legal counsel is real and urgent for parties involved in tax problems.
Handling IRS Audits and Appeals
Handling an IRS audit, especially one where there are significant mistakes/omissions on the returns, requires a tremendous amount of skill and experience. There is more to audit representation than just providing the requested documents to the IRS revenue agent. Generally, allowing your CPA or tax return preparer this task is not in your best interest as his or her experience in audits is infrequent and no attorney-client privilege exists. Lastly, he or she may feel compelled to protect his or her work which leaves the client in a very difficult situation.
Knowing the IRS "playbook" before an audit begins is a critical component to a successful outcome. Robert Leonard represents clients with the criteria needed for a successful resolution: equips clients with the makings of a successful case: careful review of all the pertinent documents; understanding all of the available defenses; ability to persuade and negotiate for the very best result; commitment to resolving the problem, and great instinct and decision making at each important step along the process.
Contact Our Firm
If you have received an IRS or Franchise Tax Board (FTB) notice of audit or are currently involved in a tax audit and want a second opinion, call Robert T. Leonard directly at the Law Offices of Robert T. Leonard at 818-224-7935 or toll free at 888-408-9486, or fill out the online form on this website for a free, confidential, initial case consultation. We will review your case and your options with their respective benefits and drawbacks, and any alternatives to the legal process that you may have. Our office accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover as payment.
