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Your CPA's job is to file accurate returns — that's tax compliance. A tax attorney brings legal strategy, formal representation in disputes and litigation, direct negotiation with the IRS and state agencies, and counsel on transactions where the law is ambiguous or the stakes are high. Attorney-client privilege also protects everything you share with us, which isn't the case on the compliance side. Many of our best client relationships involve us working alongside their CPA — each doing what they do best.

It depends on the complexity of the situation — which is why we start with a free 15-minute call to understand where things stand before quoting anything. Our hourly rates range from $350 to $675 per hour, and many engagements can be handled on a flat-fee basis starting at $3,500. You can see our full fee structure on our pricing page. For most clients, the money saved by having an experienced tax attorney represents a significant return on the investment.

This is one of the biggest mistakes we see. The IRS doesn't forget — they escalate. They'll issue a statutory notice of deficiency giving you a limited 90-day window to dispute their proposed assessment. Miss that deadline and the IRS assesses the full amount, adds penalties and interest, and starts collection actions: liens on your property, levies on your accounts, and wage garnishments. The earlier you engage, the more options you have. Contact a tax attorney as soon as you receive any IRS correspondence.

Yes — and in many cases, significantly. The IRS has several resolution programs including Offer in Compromise, installment agreements, Currently Not Collectible status, and penalty abatement. But the key is knowing which program fits your specific situation and presenting it the right way. We've helped clients reduce IRS liability by hundreds of thousands of dollars through strategic use of these programs. It's not about what the government will accept — it's about what makes sense for you.

California's EDD and FTB don't operate like the IRS — in many ways, they're more aggressive and less flexible. An attorney who handles these audits regularly understands exactly what they look for, how to present records in the strongest light, and when to push back versus when to resolve. For any audit where the potential liability exceeds a few thousand dollars, representation almost always pays for itself. The cost of getting it wrong is almost always more expensive than the cost of getting it right.

Most firms handle either tax defense or tax planning. We do both — deliberately — because we believe the best defense starts before a problem exists. We understand business because we run one. We understand what's at stake because we've seen it hundreds of times. And we understand that your situation is different from everyone else's, which is why we don't do cookie-cutter solutions. As an Inc. 5000 firm, we have the resources of a large practice with the personal attention of a firm that actually knows your name.

Tax avoidance is legal — it's structuring your finances to minimize what you owe within the law. Tax evasion is illegal — deliberately hiding income or falsifying records. The line between the two is clear, and everything we do falls firmly on the legal side. The entire point of tax strategy is to take full advantage of what the tax code allows. That's not aggressive — that's smart.

Stop everything and call a criminal tax attorney immediately. Do not speak to IRS agents. Do not produce documents voluntarily. Do not discuss the situation with anyone — including your CPA — without your attorney present. Criminal tax defense is one of our core practice areas, and the single most important thing you can do is retain counsel before you say or do anything that can be used against you. The government is building a case. You need someone building yours.