Tax Attorney Vs. Enrolled Agent – Who Is The Best For Superior Tax Relief You Need

Hiring A Tax Attorney Or Other Tax Professional

Let’s face it. There are a variety of professionals that you can turn to for help with your taxes, including CPAs, enrolled agents, tax attorneys, and many others. When it comes to taxes, you can never be too careful. At Peace Of Mind Tax Help, we recommend that if you are in need of serious tax help to get your life back on track and your tax problems in the rear view mirror that you make sure that you get the exact representation that you need.

Here is a quick review of the different types of tax professionals and different situations that might be suitable to help you including a tax attorney.

If you are an individual taxpayer in need of tax-related help, a tax lawyer can help. Tax attorney’s can assist with understanding tax law and resolve tax liens, back taxes, tax debt recovery and relief, and IRS compliance issues. But so can other tax professionals, in particular America’s Tax Experts, Enrolled Agents.

Enrolled Agent

An enrolled agent (EA) is licensed by the IRS to assist you with preparing your tax return and providing representation with the IRS. They are the nation’s tax specialists.

An EA must pass a comprehensive examination that covers all of the important parts of the tax code, including individual and business tax return preparation, federal tax planning and representation. They also have to complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years. Many Enrolled Agents specialize in a particular tax area.

What Can Enrolled Agents Do?

• Prepare tax returns
• Serve as representation for taxpayers during IRS audits and collections
• Assist taxpayers in negotiating with IRS agents to help reduce IRS penalties
• Help you if you forgot to file a required form and you received notice from the IRS

Tax Attorney

A tax lawyer is a professional that specializes in taxes. And, who has a law degree and passed the bar examination. Tax attorneys do not generally prepare tax returns. They focus more on tax disputes. Here are some of the things that a tax attorney can generally help you with:

• Tax planning-A tax attorney can advise you on how to arrange your assets in a way, such as estate planning, that helps you legally avoid tax liability
• Resolve disputes with the IRS in tax court – a tax lawyer’s training prepares them for resolving tax disputes in the U.S. tax court. They can help you if you get into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service and tax court is your only option for tax resolution
• Defend against criminal and fraud charges related to taxes

Tax Attorney Costs

The cost of hiring a tax attorney is a very important factor to take into consideration when it comes to getting help with your taxes. Tax lawyers are almost always more expensive than Enrolled Agents. If your finances are tight and you need help doing your taxes, an Enrolled Agent can be a more economical option for you without sacrificing quality. They have specialized training directly from the IRS and can help with most tax issues. They can also represent you during an IRS audit, with IRS collections and more.

Do I need a Tax Attorney or an Enrolled Agent?

Even though an Enrolled Agent is less expensive than a Tax Attorney, they are not always the best choice for representation. Find out when you need a Tax Lawyer and when an Enrolled Agent will do.

When To Hire a Tax Attorney

• You have committed tax fraud or believe that you might have done something criminal related to taxes
• The IRS is investigating you to try to bring criminal charges
• You need tax advice for estate planning
• Foreign Housing Deduction

When To Hire an Enrolled Agent

• If you need help filing your taxes
• Have complicated tax questions
• Under an audit, have a collections issue or need to appeal a finding by the IRS
• You have not committed a tax-related crime
• You have not done anything fraudulent related to taxes

The Bottom Line

Even if you have difficult tax-related questions or are under a tax audit with the IRS, you can go to an Enrolled Agent for tax help. They have the specialized knowledge and training to deal with most tax issues and are generally cheaper than tax attorneys. Even if you are experiencing an audit, an Enrolled Agent is authorized and has the experience to represent you.

Exceptions

In most cases, you can save a lot of money by having an Enrolled Agent assist you with your tax matters. Even if you have an IRS audit.

There are some times when it is better to seek the advice of a tax attorney and that is if you know or believe that you might have committed a tax-related crime, such as tax fraud or evasion.

If you are facing criminal charges by the IRS, you need an attorney. These criminal charges can result in jail time, fines and even public scrutiny. The IRS limits confidentiality privileges for Enrolled. Tax attorneys, on the other hand, can maintain client-attorney confidentiality in criminal cases.

If you have any tax-related questions or need the assistance of a tax professional, contact Peace Of Mind Tax Help today. The professional Enrolled Agents at Peace Of Mind Tax Help can answer all of your tax-related questions. It is especially important to contact a tax professional if you are being audited or have a difficult tax situation.

If you are still not sure if you need the assistance of an Enrolled Agent or a Tax Attorney, Peace Of Mind Tax Help can help you find the right professional for your needs. We partner with tax lawyers and can help you determine if you need their assistance. Or, if you can save money with an Enrolled Agent.

At Peace Of Mind Tax Help, we put our clients first, providing you with superior service for a reasonable fee.