What exactly is a tax attorney?  A tax attorney is similar to an accountant, however he/she has experience and specializes in tax law.  Tax attorneys can be most helpful if you are starting a business and need legal and tax counsel, if you are under criminal investigation by the IRS, if you need “the protection of privilege because you have committed tax fraud, or many other reasons.

The right Utah tax attorney can be just what you need to start your Utah-based business off the right way.  But, the key is to find the right tax attorney.  Here’s everything you need to know.

1.  It’s all in the title.  You can’t use a qualified tax attorney without him/her having the right qualifications.  First things first…any tax attorney that you consider needs to have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.  Similarly, they need to be admitted to the Utah state bar.  Both of these requirements ensure that your tax attorney is capable of handling Utah tax law.  Your tax attorney should have his/her master of laws degree in taxation (LL.M.).  Tax attorneys earn this qualification once they have completed advanced tax law training.

2.  Check the background.  Do a little bit of research when trying to find the perfect tax attorney.  Where did they go to law school?  Is it a well-known law school?  Where did they receive their advanced training in tax law?  These are very important questions to find out before hiring your tax attorney in Utah.  It can be helpful to choose a tax attorney that has a background in accounting or who is a CPA (Certified Public Accountant).

3.  Ask the right questions.  Some of these questions include:  “What do you specialize in?”  “How long have you been practicing tax law?”  “How much do you charge?”  “If you can’t help me, can you refer me to a qualified tax attorney who can?”

There are several things you must do before hiring a tax attorney.  Check their title.  If ‘J.D.’ and ‘LL.M.’ aren’t in the title, don’t even consider them.