The True Job Of A Tax LawyerThe True Job Of A Tax Lawyer
A former IRS agent exposed systemic fraud at the largest IRS field office under his leadership March 18 in a highly-awaited testimony before a Senate panel. The former agent, William Thomas, offered a vivid and disturbing description of how auditors from the Internal Revenue Service’s internal criminal investigation unit go about their business. His testimony provided the most comprehensive overview of the problems faced by the Internal Revenue Service since April 2021. In his written testimony, Thomas described how the Internal Revenue Service’s inspector general’s office, which is responsible for overseeing tax audits, does not take appropriate action to ensure tax payers are being cheated. He further stated that he has been fired and that investigations of possible criminal activity by IRS employees have been halted while the IRS conducts an internal review of its policies and practices related to taxpayer trust accounts. While no charges have been filed yet, the Internal Revenue Service is preparing documents for possible litigation and has warned all potential victims that it will be looking into their cases.
The revelation is the latest in what has become a long string of scandals surrounding the Internal Revenue Service and the manner in which it deals with its tax collections. In April 2021, the agency came under fire after it was discovered that IRS tax collectors were targeting some taxpayers for political reasons as part of an anti-tax campaign. The inspector general found that some of these political targets had been using secret methods to avoid detection or recovery from past due taxes. A second scandal that brought the attention of Congress and the public to the IRS was the agency’s targeting of conservative organizations for their tax advocacy activities. These organizations, according to the inspector general, used words such as “patriotic” and “grassroots” in discussing their tax-exempt status. When this happened, the IRS began to target groups that espouse the traditional Tea Party viewpoint.
The Internal Revenue Service has come under fire not only because of these two scandals, but also because of the increasingly difficult task that it places on its tax lawyers when they are called in to represent taxpayers who may be facing audit. There have been more than 50 percent increase in the number of audits over the last four years, according to the Treasury Department. This increase has led to a need for more Fort Collins, CO Tax Levy Attorneys. The new tax laws that have recently been passed by Congress do little to alleviate the problem of overly aggressive audit practices.
The IRS needs a steady flow of workers to represent tax payers. If the lawyers are not able to remain efficient in their work, the agency will find it difficult to conduct examinations and will even face serious legal sanctions. An auditor, for example, must show that a taxpayer has not provided “proof of financial hardship” in order to get a refund. If the IRS auditor does not have enough evidence to make his case, the audit is illegal. An audit must be preceded by a request for evidence, not mere suspicion.
The job of a tax lawyer is not easy. They must demonstrate a caring nature, be skillful communicators, and be well organized. Their delicate sense of fairness will always put them in the best position to help taxpayers. As a result of this job requirement, lawyers who aspire to become Tax Levy Attorneys should take courses in taxation law, be certified in taxation law, or work as an assistant to a lawyer. Their perseverance and knowledge of how the IRS works will result in many successful cases.
In any given case, the taxpayer does not want to feel guilty for any part of a tax payment. A knowledgeable tax lawyer in Colorado can help to determine which tax situations warrant attention, and which can be easily resolved. When all the facts are known, a compromise can be reached that satisfies both sides of the problem and saves the taxpayer money.