A CPA prepares returns. A tax lawyer fights the IRS. The difference matters when the stakes are high. If you owe back taxes, are facing an audit, or have a revenue officer assigned to your case, you need someone who understands the law and how to use it as a weapon.
You need a tax lawyer when you owe more than $50,000, when the IRS is threatening levies or liens, when you have unfiled returns going back multiple years, when you are considering an Offer in Compromise, or when you need to evaluate whether your tax debt can be discharged in bankruptcy.
What a Tax Lawyer Does That a CPA Cannot
Attorney-client privilege. A CPA cannot offer this. Everything you tell a tax attorney is protected. Everything you tell a CPA can be subpoenaed. In a criminal investigation, this distinction is the difference between protection and exposure.
Tax lawyers also litigate. If your case needs to go to Tax Court, Appeals, or bankruptcy court, a CPA cannot represent you. A tax attorney can take your case from the first IRS notice all the way through federal court.
The cost of a tax lawyer is almost always less than the cost of getting the resolution wrong. Schedule a consultation.