If you’ve ever encountered a full-scale IRS audit or experienced even a brief review of your tax return, you know the stress involved in handling the situation. The business of the IRS is to collect taxes, and to do so effectively, its agents must act aggressively, using the full array of their extensive authority. This policy puts the average taxpayer, who has neither unlimited resources nor unlimited time, at an immediate disadvantage.

While we at the Law Offices of Christy Lee, P. C., believe that it can be a legitimate government activity (after all, who really wants to live with infrastructure and educational practices harking back to the Dark Ages?), we also understand that tax collection often involves intimidation, extremely high interest, and heavy penalties. The IRS can place liens on your real property, levy your bank accounts and other personal property, and garnish your wages. In general, the IRS holds the license to freeze all your assets, thereby turning day-to-day routine business transactions into intolerable tasks. These harsh IRS tactics are designed to ensure compliance without question, particularly from the taxpayer who may not be fully aware of all his or her options.

Faced with such circumstances, you might choose to deal with the IRS alone, without representation, or you may decide to rely on a CPA for advice. Caution should be used in either situation. As a taxpayer, not a professional, you might not be fully informed of the complexities of tax law, and you might not be fully aware of all your rights. Consulting a CPA, while no doubt a safer bet than direct communication with the IRS, can leave you vulnerable. What you divulge to your CPA and bookkeepers can be used against you in court, since they are not bound by client-attorney privilege.

Tax Solutions

For several reasons, there exists a better solution than either of these approaches: obtain legal counsel. The Law Offices of Christy Lee, P. C., specializes in the highly complicated field of tax law. As a general rule, the taxpayer who seeks our legal advice concerning his or her tax obligations tends to achieve more favorable results than the one who faces such challenges alone.

Christy Lee can mount an effective defense for you based on her knowledge of the intricacies of tax law. Currently co-chair for the Tax Section of the Alaska Bar Association and a member of the Anchorage Estate Planning Council, she holds an LL.M. in Taxation Law from the University of Florida – Levin School of Law. She keeps abreast of current developments concerning tax codes, and she remains committed to making certain that her clients take advantage of any benefits afforded them under tax law.

Christy negotiates with the IRS on behalf of her clients. She assists non-filers so they can come into compliance with the law, she requests penalty abatements and installment agreements when appropriate, and she prepares offers in compromise and requests for relief under the innocent spouse rules. And as your tax attorney, Christy is bound by client-attorney privilege.

Christy grasps not just the fine points of the tax law, but also the heavy emotional toll that audits can levy upon the individual both personally and professionally. The Law Offices of Christy Lee, P. C., focuses on alleviating the client’s anxiety while simultaneously arriving at a solution acceptable to all parties concerned. And while we emphasize early involvement in all matters to forge a win-win solution, we will go to court when circumstances dictate.

The Law Offices of Christy Lee, P. C., looks forward to helping you with your tax issues.

Specialties

• IRS Audits and Appeals
• Collection Negotiations with the IRS
• Privately Held Business Structuring and Succession Planning
• Personal Tax Planning
• Tax Litigation
• Estate Tax Returns
• Gift Tax Returns