Tax attorneys must complete extensive educational training before they are qualified to represent taxpayers. Most earn a Bachelor’s degree from a university, college or technical college before completing legal school.
Some also take additional classes such as a Masters of Laws (LL.M) degree, which offers specialized training in tax law. The Master’s degree is also referred to as an LL.M. degree. As an LL.M. degree is not a degree that is granted by the US Department of Education, most tax attorneys obtain it through a school that has a program specifically dedicated to teaching and providing an LL.M. degree.
Many tax attorneys also obtain their LL.M. degrees from universities that offer a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). ABSA programs are also available at other colleges, but are not offered in many state schools. This degree does not require as much study time and is usually considered a “transfer” program. Because of the nature of the program, it may be less expensive than the standard law degree program.
Attorneys who want to practice in private practice often pursue a Master of Law degree. These professionals are typically highly educated individuals who are working in government or non-profit work. They often obtain their Masters degree from an ivy league university.
Tax attorneys working in private practice to represent individuals with all kinds of tax problems. Many are self-employed and have their own practices. They may also represent large corporations, government agencies and special interest groups.
Tax attorneys are important legal professionals who provide tax advice to individuals, corporations, and government entities. These professionals must be licensed by the state in which they practice and follow strict ethical guidelines when providing legal services.
The IRS and tax collectors have strict ethical guidelines that govern the manner in which tax attorneys deal with taxpayers. Any unethical behavior may lead to serious consequences. An unethical taxpayer may have his or her assets frozen or his or her driver’s license suspended. An unethical tax attorney may be forced to surrender his license or be sued.
An attorney must remain unbiased and objective during his or her work. In addition, the attorney must provide the best advice possible to help taxpayers resolve their tax issues. While it is unethical to make promises to a client that the lawyer cannot or will not deliver on, it is also unethical to mislead a client. when speaking to the Internal Revenue Service or a tax collector.
A tax attorney’s primary job is to present facts in an orderly manner. In order to do this the attorney must be careful to gather pertinent information about a tax matter, compile it, then organize it in an organized and precise manner. He or she should then submit the information to the appropriate office in a format that allows the tax return preparer or agency to quickly process and file the return.