One of the most rewarding things we do is to provide representation for clients who have encountered problems with the IRS or State taxing agencies.  Sure, we enjoy and never tire of preparing tax returns and giving our clients helpful tax planning and/or business consulting along the way, but we believe our main purpose is giving our clients the best shot at resolving their tax problems with the IRS and State taxing agencies in the best possible way.

I have personally been representing clients for a long, long time, since 1979, and I always found it satisfying to make the IRS follow the law when dealing with my clients.  When I first started, IRS agents were taught that taxpayers were cheaters and liars and that intimidating them was the best way to get the most money out of them.  It was pretty brutal in those days with the balance tipped in favor of the power of persuasion over taxpayer rights and the law to fall back on.  It is still that way with many States, especially California, being taxpayer bullies and extracting their pound of flesh even if that means the taxpayer and their children are forced onto the streets.

The passage of the first “Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights” in 1988 was a great step forward in giving taxpayers a level playing field with the IRS from a legal if not from a practical point of view.  It has taken several years since then to smooth off the rough edges of many IRS agents some of whom did not think the new law was for them.  However, we now have legal tools to keep the IRS from treating taxpayers the same way they used to.  We are finding it even pleasant to talk with some of them when we are both of a mind to resolve the problem in a fair and doable way. 

Taxpayers are still ill advised to try to resolve their cases for themselves.  The IRS knows it is competing for the few dollars you have. It almost always comes out much better when you have a qualified representative, such as an Enrolled Agent or CPA.  Even then, your chosen representative should have plenty of experience.

Jerry W. Slade, EA

408-236-2444