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Services

Tax Return Preparation
There are many self-help income tax return preparation products on the market today and some of them are actually quite good – particularly if you have some basic understanding of income tax law. Two of the better-known products use the interview technique to guide their users through the process of preparing their own income tax returns.

While the interview concept is generally effective, the potential for error exists because of the technical complexity of the subject matter of some interview questions. An incorrect response could result in erroneous reporting of one or more transactions which could lead to an audit.

The tax resolution specialist fees associated with defending you in the resolution of a tax controversy before the IRS or FTB because of errors in your income tax return will likely cost you many times the savings you believe you will achieve by preparing your own tax return.

Selecting a low-cost service that cranks out income tax returns like a puppy mill may result in adverse financial consequences if your tax return is inaccurate. If a firm like this is targeted by the IRS, ALL of their clients get audited! My advice is to stay clear of firms owned or managed by an individual who is NOT an EA, CPA, or Tax Attorney.

Additionally, several large chains hire seasonal people and give them a “crash course” in tax law just before the filing season. While the manager or owner may review and even sign returns, that person was not present when your appointment took place and would be unable to know if a response you made needed to be analyzed more closely.

Below are some warning signs when considering a tax preparer:

  • Promises you a refund before inspecting your records
  • Suggests the IRS allows “standard amounts” for certain types of deductions
  • Does not ask you to complete a tax organizer to record information about your family, income, and expenses for the tax year
  • Do not ask to see copies of all W-2s, 1099s, broker statements, and other documents you should have received from the tax agencies or third parties
  • Does not ask to review escrow settlement documents on purchases and sales of real property
  • Do not ask for a copy of your prior year’s return to review as part of the preparation process
  • Does not give you a copy of your return to review BEFORE asking you to sign it or authorize its e-filing

I recommend minimizing the probability of a tax agency audit by having your returns prepared by a tax professional who is an Enrolled Agent (EA), CPA, or Tax Attorney who specializes in tax law.   Further, if your tax return is selected for an audit, any of these categories of individuals is legally qualified to represent you.

As an Enrolled Agent and Tax Resolution Specialist, I am available to prepare your Federal, California, and other State personal income tax returns. For those with limited or no internet access or who have mobility problems, I am available to travel to your office or home if you are within reasonable commuting distance from my office in Santa Clarita, CA.

Thanks to the internet, I can provide services regardless of where you are globally. One of my longtime clients owns rental property in Florida but resides in the United Kingdom.

Many of my clients utilize PayPal or Zelle for payment of retainers, preparation, consultation, and tax controversy representation fees. I also accept four major credit cards for retainers and all services, giving clients the ability to spread out their costs for representation or preparation over many months, if necessary.

Tax Controversy Resolution
The primary focus of my practice is helping people facing IRS and State tax audits and/or collections.

If you receive any kind of tax notice from the IRS, FTB, EDD, or BOE, you MUST acknowledge it and respond promptly. Most notices contain deadlines for responding or taking certain actions.  You do NOT want to miss those deadlines as it could adversely impact your appeal rights and result in a more costly resolution of your case.

That said, I strongly recommend consulting an EA who is a tax resolution specialist before responding, and certainly before sending information or additional money to the IRS. It is not uncommon for errors to occur in the amount that IRS, FTB, EDD, or other tax agencies claim you owe.  As an Enrolled Agent, I can represent you at an IRS, FTB, EDD, or other state audit, collection, or appeals without you having to take time off work to attend meetings or conferences.

Just as important as it is to have your income tax returns prepared by someone who understands tax law, it is equally important to be represented in the resolution or settlement of an IRS or state tax controversy by a tax specialist who, as your advocate, is skilled in understanding and presenting the facts and law as they apply to your case.

My goal is to obtain a resolution of your tax controversy on the most favorable basis possible. The primary focus of my practice as an Enrolled Agent and Tax Resolution Specialist is working and negotiating with the IRS Audit, IRS Collection, and IRS Appeals organizations. I fully understand their processes and procedures, the Internal Revenue Manual, as well as the evaluative performance criteria for IRS personnel.

Please consider the potential financial impact of trying to handle your own tax controversy case, or selecting an advocate who lacks the experience and qualifications to adequately represent you in a collection action or tax audit.  Tax laws are very complex, and understanding both the tax laws as well as the tax agency’s administrative procedures is of crucial importance in negotiating a resolution of your tax controversy.

Tax controversy resolution is my specialty area of practice, so please do not hesitate to contact me for further information and assistance.

Consultation
Has the IRS or one of the State taxing agencies sent you a Notice of Adjustment, Notice of Examination, Notice of Deficiency, Notice of Intent to Levy, or any other type of communication? Do you owe back taxes? Have you not filed returns for many years? Do you want to know what options you have and get a recommendation about how to proceed from an experienced EA and tax resolution specialist? Are you unable to afford full-representation costs but are in a position where you must negotiate with the IRS, but you need a professional to guide you through the process?

I am available for phone or in-person consultation. An initial email consultation providing general information regarding an IRS or State Notice or Examination Report, or for your potential qualification for an Offer in Compromise, is free.

Specific advice is billable. Example: You have a business the IRS says is an activity not engaged in for profit. How do you persuade them otherwise? To answer that question, you will need to provide me with specific information about your business, such as its history of profits or losses, your past experience with the product or services you provide, your success in other ventures, the formality of your record-keeping system, and so forth.

For phone, email, or in-person specific consultation, you may purchase one hour of consultation time – typically sufficient for providing you with specific advice on how best to proceed in resolving your tax issue and responding to questions along the way. In advance of our consultation, I will ask you to email or fax me specific documents to review to consider your tax controversy or concern before our consultation time.

The consultation fee is payable in advance either by check, money order, credit/debit card, or through PayPal or Zelle. If you subsequently retain me to represent you for the resolution of the issue, any unused consultation time (up to one hour) will be applied toward your retainer. Further, if you retain me to represent you and our engagement is fully in place within 7 calendar days of your consultation date, at your request, your one hour consultation fee can be applied to your representation retainer – thereby making your one-hour consultation free!

Office consultation in Santa Clarita is available. I charge my normal fee and payment for the minimum one hour’s time is required before the consultation date. If after our consultation you decide to retain me to represent you, I will apply any unused portion of your consultation fee (up to one hour) toward your representation retainer.

Please check out my Consultation page for more details.

Expert Witness/Litigation Support
I have given testimony in the California Superior Court as an expert witness and provided declarations in litigation cases.  If you find yourself in need of an expert witness who has in-depth inside-the-IRS knowledge, please contact me so that we may discuss your needs and how I may be of assistance in providing you with litigation support.