There’s few things scarier than a letter from the IRS, California Franchise Tax Board or the California Tax Service Center. Owing money, especially to agencies who are known for pursuing it aggressively, can leave you stressed and with significant financial distress. On top of that, tax laws are often very difficult for people and business owners to understand, so you may not even know that you’ve done something wrong until you’re audited.
Orange County is home to many tax attorneys who can help individuals and businesses navigate California and Federal tax issues. Explore our list and contact an Orange County tax attorney near you to get the support you need.
Per the IRS website: “An enrolled agent is a person who has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service by either passing a three-part comprehensive IRS test covering individual and business tax returns, or through experience as a former IRS employee.” Not all tax lawyers are enrolled agents, but it may be a valuable asset to retain an attorney who is either an: enrolled agent, a CPA, or a former IRS agent.
At the federal level, taxes are handled by the IRS. At the state level, tax agencies include the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Employee Development Department, and the California Franchise Tax Board. Regardless of who is overseeing your case and alleging that you have violated the law, you’ll want an attorney to walk you through your options.
Business tax issues may include failure to pay sales and use taxes, underpayment of taxes, poor records documenting your deductions, misclassification of your business, and employee misclassification. Misclassifying your business, expenses, assets or independent contractors could lead to significant penalties and a bureaucratic nightmare that can last years.
Personal tax issues vary widely. They include underpayment of taxes, issues related to pass-through entities, your residency status, sales of personal property, and characterization of your income. Many of these concerns involve substantial amounts of paperwork, and failing to file it with your tax return could get you audited.
Penalties vary, depending on your violation. If you file your taxes late, you could be forced to pay the amount due plus a 5% penalty. If you pay late, there is a 5% penalty plus a 0.5% penalty for each month that the amount due goes unpaid. There are also financial penalties for writing bad checks, failing to pay your estimated taxes, underpaying your LLC fee, and failing to make electronic payments.
On top of the base penalties you will have to pay, there are fees that can also add up over time. Expect additional charges if the state spends money on collection efforts, files and releases a lien on your property, or spends money sending letters demanding you to file. These fees exist to limit the amount of money the government spends trying to collect money.
Tax laws are incredibly confusing, and you risk serious errors if you do not bring your concerns and tax agency letters to a local tax attorney. Their extensive knowledge of both state and federal tax laws can help you find solutions that suit you. Our listed Orange County tax attorneys handle a wide range of concerns, including:
Some attorneys are also CPAs or have CPAs on staff to provide an even larger range of expertise and services to consumers.
Don’t wait too long to hire a tax lawyer in Orange County. Every day you wait to address an issue, the fees and penalties keep adding up. Our list will help you connect with the right attorney.