Burlingame · San Mateo County
Burlingame Tax Attorney
IRS, FTB, EDD, and CDTFA defense for Burlingame businesses and individuals. Tax controversy is what we do — full stop.
Brotman Law represents Burlingame businesses and individuals against the IRS, the California Franchise Tax Board, the EDD, and the CDTFA. We are a tax-only law firm. Tax controversy is what we do.
Burlingame is a Peninsula commercial hub adjacent to SFO. The tax issues that come out of Burlingame reflect that mix: small-business sales tax audits, payroll tax classification disputes, IRS income tax audits, residency cases for clients moving between California and other states, and ERC audits for businesses that claimed the credit during the pandemic. We handle all of these.
Tax Services for Burlingame Clients
The practice areas we cover for Burlingame businesses and individuals:
- IRS audit defense. Correspondence audits, office audits, and field audits. See our IRS audit practice.
- IRS tax debt resolution. Installment agreements, Offers in Compromise, Currently Non-Collectible status, penalty abatement. See tax debt resolution.
- California FTB defense. Income tax audits and collections from the Franchise Tax Board. FTB defense.
- EDD payroll tax defense. Worker classification audits (AB5), payroll tax assessments, personal liability under CUIC §1735. EDD defense.
- CDTFA sales tax defense. Sales and use tax audits, exemption certificate disputes, successor liability. CDTFA defense.
- Criminal tax defense. IRS Criminal Investigation matters, federal tax fraud charges, voluntary disclosures. Criminal tax defense.
- ERC audit defense and litigation. Employee Retention Credit audits, appeals, refund suits. ERC practice.
- Tax strategy and planning. Entity structuring, exit planning, real estate tax, high-net-worth planning. Tax strategy.
Burlingame San Mateo County Tax Considerations
For Burlingame clients specifically, a few things tend to come up more than they would in other parts of California:
- Peninsula business taxation. The Peninsula economy generates a particular set of tax issues, and the local tax base affects how the FTB and CDTFA approach audits in the area.
- Multi-state issues. California’s aggressive residency rules and sourcing rules apply to Burlingame residents who work or earn income in other states. See our multi-state practice.
- EDD aggression on worker classification. The EDD audits businesses across San Mateo County on AB5 compliance. Burlingame businesses using independent contractors should plan for this.
How We Work With Burlingame Clients
Brotman Law is based in San Diego, and the vast majority of our representation work happens by phone, email, and video conference — the IRS, FTB, EDD, and CDTFA conduct most of their work remotely now, so our clients are nationwide. For Burlingame clients, we handle the full matter without you driving anywhere. When in-person meetings are needed (rare for most tax matters), we coordinate at a location convenient for you.
Engagement starts with a free 15-minute call. We review the notice or the issue, identify what you are facing, and quote the work either as a flat fee or with a written budget for hourly engagements. You see the fee structure before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burlingame Tax Attorney FAQs
Do you represent Burlingame clients remotely or do I need to come to San Diego?
Almost all representation work for Burlingame clients is handled by phone, email, and video. The IRS, FTB, EDD, and CDTFA all conduct most of their work remotely. You will not need to come to our office for the matter to move forward.
What kinds of tax cases do you handle for Burlingame businesses?
IRS audits and collections, California FTB income tax issues, CDTFA sales tax audits, EDD payroll tax and worker classification disputes, ERC audits and refund matters, and criminal tax defense. We are a tax-only firm and represent Burlingame clients across all of these areas.
Is there a Burlingame-area IRS or California tax office I should know about?
The IRS has Taxpayer Assistance Centers at varying distances from Burlingame. The California FTB, CDTFA, and EDD have regional offices that handle San Mateo County matters. For most cases, the agency handles communications in writing or by phone; in-person visits to agency offices are rare in modern tax practice. We handle the agency coordination as part of the engagement.
Do you handle California residency audits for clients moving in or out of Burlingame?
Yes. California’s residency rules are aggressive, and the FTB regularly audits taxpayers who claim non-California residency while maintaining California ties. Whether you are moving into California, moving out, or splitting time between states, residency planning and audit defense is a substantial part of our practice.
How much do you charge Burlingame clients for IRS audit defense?
Fees match the work, not the city. IRS audit defense typically runs $5,000 to $25,000 depending on audit type. We quote flat fees for most engagements after seeing the notice. See our audit cost page for ranges.
Does Brotman Law represent only individuals or also businesses?
Both. About half our practice is business tax matters (IRS audits, payroll tax, sales tax, ERC, business tax strategy) and half is individual matters (audits, collections, criminal defense, residency, high-net-worth planning). Burlingame clients include both.
Get Started Today
Engage a Tax Attorney for Your Burlingame Matter
Send us the notice or describe the issue. We will tell you what you are facing and what it would cost to handle.
- Protected by attorney-client privilege
- Flat-fee options where appropriate
- We respond within one business day