Legal Guidance For Tax Controversy And Tax Litigation

What to do when you have received an Audit Notice.

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/she prepared so a definite conflict of interest arises. In other words, the return preparer certainly has a self-interest in defending his or her own work and that is not in your best interests. Find and retain a tax attorney who specializes in tax controversy and tax litigation matters.

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 selected tax 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 (inactive) or tax return preparer to handle this task is not in your best interest because of their limited experience in this area and that 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: a careful review of all the pertinent documents; obtain critical information under the attorney-client privilege; 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.

How Do I Contact Your Firm To Learn More?

Call us at 818-485-2115 to schedule a free, confidential attorney consultation. During your consultation, you will meet directly with lawyer and CPA (inactive) Rob Leonard, who will provide you with customized advice based on your specific circumstances. We represent clients located in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, as well as in other parts of California and throughout the nation.