It can be a frightening time when you're in the midst of a tax dispute with the IRS. You may be facing aggressively worded letters, phone calls, and perhaps even in-person visits from IRS personnel. All of this can be highly overwhelming, but you shouldn't attempt to hide from the issues that face you. To face them head-on, you should plan to hire a tax attorney. He or she can be a valuable ally as you deal with this difficult part of your life and can help you in a number of different ways.
Taking Care Of Communications
When you're in the middle of a dispute with the IRS, you need to be careful about what you say when speaking to an IRS agent. It can be easy for you to mistakenly make a statement that isn't in your best interest, and this can further complicate your situation. When you hire a tax attorney, you can ask him or her to take care of any communications with the IRS on your behalf. Just as having a criminal attorney talk to the police for you when you're facing criminal charges, your legal representative will know what to say and how to say it.
Not Testifying Against You
It's always important to remember that because your tax attorney is a legal professional, the relationship that you and him or her share is privileged. This means that your attorney cannot testify against you, which is ideal if you've admitted some intentional wrongdoing to him or her. The same situation isn't necessarily true if you were to get help from an accountant, for example. An accountant-client relationship isn't privileged, which means that if your accountant were to hear you talking about intentionally committing tax evasion, for example, he or she might report it and could potentially testify against you.
Giving You Peace Of Mind
It's easy to assume the worst when you're in a dispute with the IRS, and the severity of letters and phone calls from IRS representatives can certainly make you feel as though you're in a dire situation. While it's true that the situation is serious, you may have a tendency to think that things are worse than they really are — and you may be imagining yourself serving a jail sentence. A tax attorney will look at your situation and can often give you peace of mind by explaining how serious your case is and what consequences you'll likely face.
For more information, reach out to a local attorney who can offer you legal tax services.
