Written by Sam Brotman, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), MBA — Managing Attorney, Brotman Law  ·  Updated May 2026

IRS Matters in Santa Barbara

The IRS office serving Santa Barbara is located at 211 E. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. This office handles field examinations for individuals and businesses in this territory. The IRS Small Business/Self-Employed (SB/SE) division also covers qualifying taxpayers in the area.

There are three distinct types of IRS contact, and knowing which one you are dealing with changes how you respond:

• Examination letter (audit notice): A CP2000, 30-day letter, or Letter 2205 comes from the IRS Examination division. This is an audit involving a specific tax year and a specific set of items the IRS is questioning. Do not respond without reviewing the letter with an attorney first.
• Revenue officer visit: A revenue officer is a field collection employee who knocks on doors, calls directly, and issues summonses. Their contact means there is an existing balance the IRS believes cannot be resolved through normal automated channels. This is a collection matter, not an audit.
• Criminal Investigation special agent: IRS Criminal Investigation special agents conduct criminal tax investigations. If a person identifying themselves as an IRS special agent asks to speak with you, do not answer any questions. Contact a criminal tax attorney before saying anything.

Common IRS Issues in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara taxpayers face IRS examination issues tied to the industries and income patterns that define this market. Santa Barbara has a concentration of high-net-worth individuals whose tax profiles include significant investment income, large real estate gains, and estate planning structures. University-affiliated researchers and entrepreneurs in UC Santa Barbara’s technology transfer ecosystem face equity, licensing income, and intellectual property reporting issues. Wealth management clients and family offices also generate FTB residency and multi-state income audit activity.

Beyond industry-specific issues, the IRS examines returns with large unreported income, significant business expense deductions relative to gross income, cash-intensive operations, and discrepancies between information returns (W-2s, 1099s, K-1s) and what is reported on the tax return. If you receive an audit notice, the first step is understanding what specific issue the IRS is examining before responding.

IRS Audit Defense in Santa Barbara

An IRS audit is not a criminal proceeding, but it can become one if the examiner finds evidence of fraud during an examination. Most audits resolve at the examination level — through production of records, legal arguments, or negotiated adjustments. When the IRS proposes an adjustment we disagree with, there are several layers of appeal available before any tax is owed.

The process typically moves through IRS Examination, then to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals under Rev. Proc. 2012-18, and if necessary to the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, or U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Most cases resolve at examination or Appeals without ever reaching Tax Court.

My approach is to review the audit notice carefully, identify what documentation the IRS needs, prepare a response that addresses only what the IRS asked, and avoid giving information that opens new issues. Santa Barbara clients work with me directly — there is no hand-off to a junior associate.

About Sam Brotman

I am the managing attorney at Brotman Law. I hold a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, an LL.M. in Taxation, and an MBA. I am a member of the California State Bar (Bar No. 274966) and admitted before the U.S. Tax Court. I have been named a Super Lawyer every year since 2016. Brotman Law has resolved more than 2,500 tax matters and over $1 billion in combined tax liabilities since 2013. I am based in San Diego and represent clients throughout California, including Santa Barbara-area individuals and businesses.