Seattle Tax Attorney – 10 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Seattle Tax Attorney

Hiring a Seattle tax attorney can be somewhat like a scenario from an Indiana Jones movie; make the right move and you will prosper, make the wrong one and its curtains for you! The decision you make at this time must be a wise one, whether it’s a certified tax resolution specialist, a certified public accountant, or a basic tax attorney you need. If your tax returns are delinquent, there’s a problem with back taxes, or your business has payroll tax issues, the first thing many people do is “take a walk” through the yellow pages, or do a quick search on Google. Friends and family may also recommend an attorney that they have used in the past, but the services they needed at that time might have differed from the services you require now. It’s a difficult choice, as your selection will make all the difference to your financial well being. For this reason, we’ve compiled the checklist below to assist you in hiring the best possible Seattle tax attorney.

Seattle Tax Attorney Checklist

This checklist is designed to help you to ask and answer some important questions before making your decision to hire a Seattle tax attorney. It will help you to eliminate scammers and inept lawyers and accountants that will drain your bank account and leave you with your original tax problems and maybe more. Take your time to consider each question carefully, and answer each one honestly. A good idea is to print out this page and write those answers down.

1. Are you an individual facing personal income tax problems, or a business owner with outstanding payroll or sales taxes and the like? You could be a spouse who has been caught up in the unscrupulous practices of your partner or a tax fraud victim, or have estate tax issues. Business owners may be facing foundation, trust, or estate and property tax problems.
2. Exactly what type of tax do you have problems with? State and federal taxes have their own peculiarities, and it might be prudent to hire a Seattle tax attorney who specializes in one or the other.
3. Are your tax issues confined to only one state, or do they span several jurisdictions? State taxes may differ from one state to another. If you have tax problems outside of Washington State, your Seattle tax attorney may have to work with a specialist from another jurisdiction.
4. Is the IRS currently aware of your tax problems? If they are not, your attorney will more than likely alert them on your behalf. >
5. Has the IRS already contacted you? If the IRS is aware of your situation and they have got in touch, it is best to deal with the issue and get it resolved rather than trying to wish it away. The IRS never goes away!
6. Have you kept orderly, up to date tax records? If your tax records are in a mess, you will need to spend a lot of time and money to get them in order, especially if your Seattle tax attorney has to do it.
7. Are you able to provide an honest evaluation of the circumstances that led to your current situation? The more honest you can be with your Seattle tax attorney, the better it will serve you in the end – with the IRS, and with your legal fees. If your lawyer spends time pursuing a certain direction, then has to go back and take a different approach because you weren’t completely forthcoming, this will cause you financial and possibly other problems.
8. Have you had a visit from the IRS at home or work?If so the issue is serious, and due diligence is required.
9. Has the Internal Revenue Service requested a personal audit? As above
10. Have the IRS implemented tax liens, frozen assets, or seized property? If so extreme urgency is required on your part.

The answers to these questions will help you to know the type of tax help you need, and consequently the best Seattle tax attorney to assist you. Make sure the attorney you hire is experienced in dealing with the IRS, is up to scratch on the most recent tax legislation, and who knows the secrets to tax resolution. You will basically be paying the wages of this Seattle tax attorney, so treat your consultation as what it is, a job interview.