California IRS Debt, Tax Law and Litigation Attorney

Law Offices of Scott Kauffman

19900 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 1150 Irvine, California 92612 USA

 (949) 474-1820
 (949) 474-1823

www.besttaxadvocate.com
 Contact the Firm

Law Firm Overview

The Irvine, California Law Offices of Scott Kauffman focus on coming to the aid of businesses and individuals contacted by the IRS or California tax authorities. With two LL.M (Master of Laws) degrees in tax areas and well over 20 years dedicated exclusively to this area of the law, I am well equipped to offer experienced guidance and representation at any phase of your tax controversy - from initial contact with the IRS to negotiations or courtroom litigation.

I have been admitted to practice before all California state courts, United States Tax Court, United States District Court for the Central District of California and the Northern District of California - and I am ready to assess your challenge thoroughly, whether it involves a pending IRS audit or appeal, allegations of tax evasion or fraud, your need to negotiate a payment plan, or high-stakes litigation on virtually any other tax issue.

If the IRS contacts you, that means you are already the target of an active investigation. I urge you to speak to an experienced tax lawyer before answering any questions. Agents, collectors and other representatives may use any statements you make against you, even if you are innocent or absolutely honest. You need veteran legal counsel to present your case in the best light, and to work to minimize any penalties and fight any criminal charges.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

- Tax Audits and Appeals

No individual or business should meet with or speak to an IRS agent directly. Revenue agents are trained to obtain more information from you than you are required to provide. Better to contact me, a knowledgeable and independent tax attorney, to handle all correspondence and meetings with the IRS. This puts the agent on notice that we are serious about winning the audit. Many taxpayers ignore the opportunity to file an appeal when they disagree with the results of a tax audit. Some IRS agents are very good and are not out to skewer you. But if you were audited by an IRS agent in need of an attitude adjustment, or if you were represented by a previous lawyer who failed to protect you, exercise your right to appeal the IRS audit decision.

- Tax Fraud Audits

No one will likely mention tax fraud, but you can trust me when I tell you some suspicion likely triggered the audit and an investigation is already under way. What "red flags" may have caused this suspicion, and what are some potential concerns? Among many possibilities, the most prominent tax fraud-related audit issues are: unreported business income; and overstated expenses, including a high level of charitable donations or others your tax preparer may have "manufactured" in an effort to reduce your tax liability. Attorney Kauffman also handles California sates tax audits and estate tax audits. I will move quickly to analyze your situation and begin gauging your exposure to adverse IRS findings, penalties and other consequences.

- Unfiled Tax Returns

Depending on how long you have ignored your tax problem, and how cleverly you think you have dodged the IRS, you may be subject to a failure to file penalty. The IRS may have decided to "file for you" and determined an amount you or your small business owes. There may be additional failure to pay penalties. These penalties incur interest, which can add up over time. If the IRS believes that you were never intending to pay, it may charge you with tax evasion. Contact my Irvine, California tax practice today. If you are proactive and cooperative, the IRS will probably not seek criminal charges. And I am often successful in reducing or eliminating any penalties. Filing those returns is the first step.

- Offshore Bank Accounts

In the past, investors used offshore bank accounts as lucrative opportunities to avoid paying taxes and hide assets. But, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) now cracks down on U.S. tax payers with offshore bank accounts by making sure the accounts are accounted for on income tax returns. Anyone who fails to properly file, faces serious criminal and civil tax penalties. My name is Scott Kauffman, and I have aggressively defended clients with tax evasion charges for more than 25 years. I have a thorough understanding of IRS policy and procedure and provide you with experienced representation.

- Payroll Taxes

If your company has been accused of improperly withholding payroll taxes, I will investigate your case to determine whether or not the IRS has accurately calculated your tax obligation. This is a complicated area of the law, and you will work directly with me - not a legal secretary or paralegal, with this important issue. After conducting a thorough investigation, I will negotiate with the IRS, including: bargaining with the IRS to reduce the payment terms; working with the IRS to extend your payments over a manageable timeframe; and making arrangements for the business operations to continue with a settlement describing how the old taxes will be paid.

- Collections and Levies

The IRS uses bank levies and wage garnishment as a last resort. These drastic measures are taken when taxpayers do not respond to "nice" requests for payment. If you are not disputing the amount of tax, but lack only the ability to pay it, the government will work with you . But first, contact an Orange County tax levy attorney to discuss your options and ensure you understand your rights. There are a number of options available when you owe taxes and can't pay: paying in installments; petitioning for "Uncollectible Status": (The IRS grants the taxpayer anywhere from a few months to an indefinite reprieve, but penalties and interest continue to accrue); offers in compromise (Negotiate partial payment); and declaring bankruptcy (Not all taxes are dischargeable!).

- IRS Asset Seizures

The IRS would rather negotiate receive payment for an outstanding tax debt than go through the process of seizing an asset and then selling it at public auction. The IRS usually seizes assets in order to gain the attention of someone who has repeatedly failed to acknowledge or comply with an inquiry regarding an outstanding tax debt. The IRS has been known to seize any of the following assets or property to help satisfy a debt: real estate, vehicles, personal property such as artwork, jewelry or anything else of value, bank accounts, retirement funds, Social Security payments, business equipment and holdings and accounts receivable. I will attempt to settle your tax issue without your assets being sold at auction. I will immediately begin to work on application for asset levy release and for settling your existing tax debt by making payments through an installment plan or negotiating the amount with an offer in compromise.

- Tax Controversy Representation

Disputes and collection efforts can occur due to unfiled returns or at many points after you file a return, and I am here to step in as soon as you are contacted by the IRS for any reason. In some cases, my clients have just learned they are being audited; in others, bank accounts or other assets may have been seized. I primarily represent those who are the target of an IRS audit or IRS investigation into potential tax evasion or fraud and those who need help resolving past-due tax burdens, but my legal education and experience in taxation runs deep. I am equally comfortable with planning and the full range of negotiations and litigation centered on specific issues such as: California residency and tax obligations; hobby losses claimed as business expenses or personal deductions; wrongful disclosure suits and wrongful levy claims; and jeopardy assessments.

- Innocent Spouse Protection

If the IRS is knocking at your door, you need a seasoned tax attorney to protect you. When you work with me, you work directly with me — not a paralegal or a legal secretary. During an initial consultation, I will listen to your concerns, while asking specific questions, such as: Did you and your spouse have separate assets? Did you know about your spouse's off-shore bank accounts? Did you and your spouse separate during the tax year? Did your spouse forge your signature on the tax return? Did you sign the tax return, believing your taxes were paid? and Were you unaware your spouse made money through illegal activities? These questions help me understand if you qualify for innocent spouse relief protection.

- Hobby Losses

I have provided effective representation or learned through observation in cases involving: deductions of expenses for breeding, housing and maintaining race and jumping horses; yachts, other boats, and properties listed with rental agencies in the effort to legitimize deductions for their maintenance, upkeep, staffing and other expenses; and various other pursuits that can be for profit but intensively questioned in an IRS or state tax audit. In the plainest terms, if you are audited an agent will likely seize upon certain types of expenses and classify them as hobby losses. I will look to build the best case possible for you to contest any additional tax liability if, in fact, you are treating a particular pursuit as a business with actual profit potential.

- Wrongful Disclosure Suit

Generally speaking, unless you are charged with tax evasion or another crime, you have a right to expect and demand confidentiality when it comes to your tax information. Federal law prohibits the IRS and its employees from sharing information about your tax status with any third party — whether that be a media representative or someone else. Pursuing a suit based on "wrongful tax disclosure" or a similar violation of federal law may require an attorney with a strong understanding of taxation, the hierarchy and structure of the IRS, and civil procedure.

- Tax Litigation

Adverse results and bad news after a tax audit are common, but our legal system provides numerous avenues for your defense and further pursuit of a just result. The best time to consult me is before an audit takes place, but I also may be able to help if you act quickly after the determination that you owe the IRS or the State of California has been handed down. Together, depending on your precise circumstances and financial resources, we may choose to pursue your case by: exercising your right to appeal a poor or unjust audit outcome — with the reinforcement that most appeals officers pride themselves on an objective, independent approach and approximately 90 percent of matters I handle are resolved in appeals division hearings; taking your case to Tax Court if I am unable to reveal sufficient flaws in the audit or negotiate an acceptable outcome via appeal; and taking the matter to the next levels if necessary, entering Tax Court or District Court tax litigation or filing a claim in the Court of Federal Claims.

Attorneys

Mr. Scott Kauffman Attorney Tax

More Information on Law Offices of Scott Kauffman

Irvine, California IRS Audits and Appeals Attorney
Irvine, CA Unfiled Returns Lawyer
Offshore Bank Accounts Law Firm in Irvine, California
Collections and Levies Attorney in Irvine, CA
Irvine, California Tax Controversy Lawyer
Irvine, CA Tax Evasion and Fraud Law Firm
Tax Litigation Attorney in Irvine, California
Tax Crime Defense Lawyer in Irvine, CA
Contact Law Offices of Scott Kauffman