Provider comparison · Washington, DC office
Tax controversy attorney vs national tax relief company
Ask a tax relief company who will represent you, which professional license that person holds, and what the quoted fee covers. At the Law Office of Alexander Powell, PLLC, Mr. Powell handles the matter personally and quotes the engagement in writing before work begins.
Compare the proposed engagement with the credentials of the person doing the work. The IRS and Tax Court sources below explain representation and government fees.
Side by side
How does a national tax relief company compare with a tax controversy attorney?
Compare the proposed services, the representative’s credentials, and the written fee terms. IRS representation and U.S. Tax Court admission are separate qualifications.
| Question | National tax relief company | Law Office of Alexander Powell, PLLC |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Ask for the name and license of the person responsible for the matter. | Mr. Powell is the attorney responsible for the engagement. |
| How the engagement starts | Ask what the initial review includes and whether it carries a fee. | An initial consultation is a call with Mr. Powell, and there is no charge for the call. |
| Work covered by the fee | Ask whether the quote covers investigation, a proposed resolution, and any later administrative or court proceedings. | The firm provides a written quote for the defined engagement once the matter is understood. |
| Fee terms | Get the scope, amount, payment schedule, and refund terms in writing. | The firm quotes its fee in writing before work begins. Government fees and court costs are separate. |
| Accountability | Check the representative’s license and the regulator responsible for that credential. | Mr. Powell is answerable to the District of Columbia and Maryland bars and to the United States Tax Court. |
| U.S. Tax Court | Ask whether a practitioner admitted under Tax Court Rule 200 will handle any court case. | Mr. Powell is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. |
The written engagement terms in front of you control over any page, including this one.
When does a named attorney matter?
The representative’s experience and admissions should match the dispute. Ask who will handle an IRS payment-plan request, an Appeals conference, or a Tax Court petition.
Mr. Powell is admitted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and before the United States Tax Court. The record is on the About page.
Official source: IRS payment plans and installment agreements
Official source: IRS offer in compromise
Questions
National tax relief companies
Is a national tax relief company a law firm?
Check the provider’s legal status and the credentials of the person who will handle the matter. A company may employ or contract with licensed professionals. Confirm whom you are retaining, who is responsible for the work, and which professional regulator oversees that person. The written engagement should identify the professional responsible for the work.
Can a tax relief company file in U.S. Tax Court?
A taxpayer may file a petition personally or through a practitioner admitted under Tax Court Rule 200. Confirm that the person offering court representation has that admission. After a Notice of Deficiency, the taxpayer generally has 90 days, or 150 days if the notice is addressed to a person outside the United States, to petition.
What should I ask before paying a tax relief company?
Ask who will handle the matter, what license that person holds, and what the fee covers. Get the scope and payment terms in writing. If an initial investigation carries a separate fee, ask what further work may cost. Confirm whether the person responsible can represent you in the forum where the dispute will be heard.
How does this firm charge for tax resolution work?
An initial consultation is a call with Mr. Powell, and there is no charge for the call. The firm quotes the fee in writing for the specific engagement before work begins. Government fees and court costs are separate. An offer in compromise carries a $205 application fee, waived for a taxpayer who certifies low income, and a United States Tax Court petition carries a $60 filing fee.
What matters if the case may go to court?
Confirm that the person who will handle the case is admitted to the court. Tax Court admission is separate from the right to practice before the IRS. Discuss whether legal advice and attorney-client privilege are needed, and make sure the engagement covers the proceedings involved. A proposed settlement also depends on the taxpayer’s records and the applicable law.
If the letter is already in hand
Use IRS Letter Check for a supported federal notice. Use How do I respond to an IRS collection notice? for a collection letter. If the notice shows a response date, that date controls over anything on this page.
Related pages
Related pages
- IRS representation rightsAttorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents may represent taxpayers before the IRS.
- Tax Court admissionAdmission requirements for attorneys and nonattorneys.
- Tax Court feesThe court’s current filing fees.
- IRS offer in compromiseApplication fees and low-income certification.
- Washington, DC tax attorneyIRS examinations, appeals, collections, penalties, and Tax Court from the Washington, DC office.
- Alternatives to an offer in compromisePayment plans, partial pay, currently not collectible status, and penalty abatement.
- Alternatives to a national tax relief companyThe IRS instructions, a CPA or enrolled agent, an attorney, and the D.C. OTR path.
- Tax attorney vs CPAWhat each credential can do at exam, collections, and Appeals, compared.
- Offer in compromiseWho qualifies, what the IRS charges, and how an offer is evaluated.
- IRS Letter CheckType the code on the notice for a plain-language explanation.
- Start hereSend a high-level summary of the IRS letter and the date printed on it.
Letter already quoted elsewhere
Send the letter code and the date printed on it.
Send the letter code, the date printed on the paper, and any investigation fee a national company already quoted.
Schedule an initial consultationRequesting a consultation does not make Mr. Powell your lawyer, provide legal advice, or protect a deadline.
Law Office of Alexander Powell, PLLC. 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006.