Virginia Tax Lawyers

Few things are more stressful than receiving a notice from the Internal Revenue Service or Virginia Department of Taxation. In most cases, these agencies have questions or concerns about your tax liability, and if the legal matter is not handled correctly, you risk higher tax debts, tax liens, bank levies, and even asset seizures. The Virginia tax lawyers at Poole Brooke Plumlee PC can help protect your livelihood, your family, and your home or business from aggressive collection efforts.

Personal Tax Representation And Compliance

Tax laws are complicated and it can be hard for most taxpayers to keep up.  Failure to comply with state or federal tax laws can result in expensive penalties. Working with an experienced tax lawyer at Poole Brooke Plumlee PC can help you maintain compliance by creating a solid framework for your ongoing tax strategies.

If you have a state or federal tax liability, an experienced tax lawyer at our law firm can advise you on and guide you through relief options like those below:

• An installment agreement allows you to pay off state and federal taxes in more affordable monthly installments.
• An Offer in Compromise that lets you settle your tax debt for less than the full amount owed while preventing punitive collection actions.
• Penalty abatements that can reduce your tax burden significantly- the IRS charges a penalty of up to 25% just for filing your tax return late!
• Negotiating for the removal of tax liens from critical assets like your home.
• Bankruptcy in cases where your financial circumstances don’t support other forms of income tax debt relief.  We are a debt relief agency, we help people file for bankruptcy.

Reach out to us today to review your compliance concerns. We work with state and federal government agencies to get best results for clients in a wide range of tax cases.

Business Tax Representation and Compliance

Our tax attorneys at Poole Brooke Plumlee PC offer a wide range of tax services to business owners and other corporate clients with respect to their federal government or Virginia state tax obligations. We also make sure you understand the tax consequences of business activities like joint ventures, restructurings, and debt workouts, so that you can make financial decisions that support a favorable outcome for your business objectives.

If your business is facing an investigation, an audit, or unpaid federal or state taxes, contact us.  By applying their substantial legal expertise to this issue, our attorneys aim to minimize the impact it has on your life, career, and business reputation.

Other business tax representation and compliance issues we handle include:

• Payroll/withholding tax matters
• Sales tax debt 
• Federal and state corporate income tax debt
• Civil liability penalties 

Please contact us if you have questions about tax strategies and debt relief options for your business. 

Tax Audits

We can provide you with appropriate advice and effective representation if you’re facing a tax audit. A tax audit is an intrusive legal process that can have a negative impact on your financial and emotional well-being as well as jeopardize your personal and business assets.  Most IRS audits are paper-based requests for additional information about your taxes, while others are conducted in person at your business or the closest IRS field office. We can meet with the agent(s) on your behalf and, if necessary, help you reconstruct your income tax records to the greatest extent possible and support any disputed deductions.

Tax Appeals and Tax Court Petitions

Our tax attorneys have extensive experience in assisting clients with tax matters that require court resolution, such as appeals and petitions to the U.S.Tax Court. Talk to us if you need help with situations like the following:

• Tax Court Petitions: Has the IRS sent you a Notice of Deficiency? Depending on the circumstances, you may have to file a Tax Court petition to protect yourself from an increased tax liability. We can help you determine when such relief may be appropriate and guide you through the process of preparing and filing your claim.  Your time for filing a tax court petition is very limited so you must act quickly to preserve your rights.
• Collection Appeals: If the IRS has taken collection action against you, such as filing a tax lien or tax levy, you may be able to file a collection appeal. We can prepare your appeal, present a strong argument for relief, and represent you during any court appearances involving government agencies.

• Collection Due Process: Due process appeals are typically required when the IRS has taken collection action against you without responding to your reasonable requests to resolve your tax debt. Talk to a tax lawyer at our firm about whether filing an appeal would be beneficial in your case. 
• Refund Claims: If you believe you overpaid the IRS. you may be able to request a refund of these overpayments. We can help you determine whether a refund claim is likely to succeed for you and take appropriate legal measures when the IRS owes you money. 

Innocent Spouse/ Injured Spouse Relief

Has the IRS recently notified you that your refund has been diverted to satisfy your spouse’s federal debt or that you owe taxes, penalties, and interest because your spouse  misrepresented their income on your tax returns? If so, you may be entitled to innocent or injured spouse relief.

If your spouse incorrectly reported their income on a joint return, you may be able to pursue innocent spouse relief. You cannot have been aware of the error at the time of filing, and the mistake must have been entirely your spouse’s fault. Furthermore, you must prove that it would be unfair to hold you liable for taxes, penalties, and interest that result from your spouse’s mistake.

When you are an injured spouse, your anticipated tax refund has been withheld to pay your spouse’s tax debt. In order to qualify as an injured spouse, you must have paid tax and/or claimed a refundable credit and must not legally owe the other spouse’s tax debt.

You should consult an experienced Virginia tax attorney as soon as possible if you believe you are eligible for innocent or injured spouse status. There is a limited time for either request, so you need to act quickly.

Foreign Account Holdings

Enacted to control offshore tax evasion and fraud, the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) imposes reporting requirements on: 

• U.S. individuals and businesses with foreign financial interests
• Some foreign entities and multinational companies

If you are a U.S. taxpayer subject to FATCA, you must disclose information about your offshore accounts or face potentially severe penalties. If you have questions regarding your foreign account holdings, or if you have been delinquent in filing the appropriate information returns, we can assist you in complying with the law.

Can’t I Use a CPA For My Tax Case Instead of a Lawyer?

It’s true that both CPAs and tax lawyers can help you prepare tax documents and advise you on liabilities, an attorney has received extensive training in federal and state tax law and is in the best position to protect your interests if you are audited or investigated. 

With a tax lawyer, you also benefit from attorney-client privilege. For example, if your matter goes to trial, your attorney cannot be forced to testify against you, but CPAs and tax preparers can. 

If you are dealing with tax-related issues, Poole Brooke Plumlee PC can help. We thoroughly understand tax law and can communicate strategically with the IRS or Virginia Department of Taxation on your behalf, with the aim of seeing you get the relief you deserve from your tax challenges.

When Should I Hire a Tax Attorney?

If you’re facing a tax audit, appeal, collection, or related difficulty, the sooner you hire a tax attorney, the sooner you can deal with it constructively.  Tax issues usually get worse the longer your put them off..

When you have a tax lawyer on your side, you can make a complicated process much easier to handle. If you pay income or business taxes in Virginia and are now facing questions or an investigation from a government agency, reach out to Poole Brooke Plumlee PC for an honest assessment of your case and representation that can improve your peace of mind.

Why Should I Hire Your Firm?

Our extensive experience in handling thousands of successful tax cases allows us to offer solutions to your IRS and State tax issues. We understand how the IRS and state tax authorities work and will use our knowledge, expertise, and proven methods to review your specific situation and proceed with the best option for resolution.  Once you have retained our services, we will handle all communication with the IRS or Virginia Department of Taxation.

Don’t rely on 800 numbers to resolve your tax matters. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-dirty-dozen-list-warns-people-to-watch-out-for-tax-related-scams-involving-fake-charities-ghost-preparers-and-other-schemes#oic-mills.  You should have a face-to-face, personal relationship with the legal team handling your tax controversy. Our tax attorney and enrolled agent have been assisting clients in the Hampton Roads area for over 20 years and will apply the same level of diligence and legal skill to your case.

Talk to a Virginia Tax Lawyer About Your Tax Controversy

Tax problems and their legal issues have the ability to change your life. When they’re not addressed with valid legal solutions, they can impact your livelihood, financial stability, and even relations with your family. Don’t let your tax controversy reach that point- get an experienced Virginia tax attorney on your side.

We represent individual and business taxpayers across the state when they encounter problems with the IRS or Virginia Department of Taxation. Our skilled team includes attorney Todd D. Rothlisberger and IRS Enrolled Agent Amber Boyd, both of whom have a deep understanding of how tax authorities operate and will protect your interests during audits, appeals, and other proceedings. If you’ve received communication that hints at upcoming legal issues, please contact us today for a confidential consultation and case review.