Who would take your money?

Comment

Comment by Tax Man Tom Blair on July 11, 2010 at 5:53pm

The attorney in these videos has some points that are true...as far as they go. But he didn't mention that most IRS agents detest working with attorneys (and sometimes also with CPAs) because all too often they treat the IRS agent as an "underling" and "know-nothing." The fact is, I have personally had a number of conversations with current and former IRS field agents that told me to my face that "pompous" KNOW-IT-ALL attorneys and CPAs often harm their case and cost the taxpayer more than their client might otherwise have had to pay.
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You may care to know that both attorneys and CPAs are limited in their practices because they are licensed by the states and NOT the federal government. To tell you the truth I have personally worked for both attorneys and CPAs myself and various issues, including taxation, estate planning/wealth retention as a paralegal. I did the work and research, but the attorney or CPA presented the case. As facts would have it I HAVE NEVER WORKED FOR THE IRS and I have been a tax practitioner since 1981, and I belong to NAEA, FSEA, GSEA, NATP and NSA (these organizations provide me with continuing professional education on at least a weekly basis and also research services on the unusual circumstances that sometimes come up in administrative IRS issues. You may also care to know that I still perform tax services to various NE Florida attorneys and one CPA!
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The advantages I have over both the common attorney and CPA is that I respect to both the taxpayer and to the IRS agent and speak the language of both. I know what a CP2000 is and I've handled 112 IRS face to face audits and hundreds of "paper and mail" audits successfully since 1981.
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Oh yes, and by the way: My fees for services are commonly half those of CPAs and less than a quarter of those of the typical tax attorney...and that is important to the taxpayer that doesn't have $2,500 to $10,000 to pay for tax services fees...and my win rate at IRS audits run 90.2.% and my appeals win rate is 93%...not bad for a guy that only holds an Associates Degree in Banking and Finance but has worked in final services of one kind or another since 1969!
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In closing let me say that I consider a "win" at an IRS audit only when the taxpayer is either entitled to money back or owes less than $1,000. My finest hour in my Florida tax preparation and taxpayer representation practice (since 1998) was the day I won an IRS appeal for a senior citizen retired trucker and his part-time food service working wife, who owed $95,000-plus (according to the IRS Collection Division), but when we walked out of the appeal that same day the taxpayer appreciated being awarded a $668 tax refund instead!.
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I care, I work and I earn every dime I charge to the taxpayer/client...and I detest tax cheats...I wonder if this attorney can truthfully say the same?
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At least food for thought, is it not? :)
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Respectfully submitted,
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Thomas Avery Blair
Enrolled Agent