Deciding when to hire a tax attorney might be complex because if you are experiencing financial difficulties repaying IRS back taxes or facing potential prosecution for a tax offense, you may not wish to add to your monetary obligations.
The average hourly rate for a skilled tax lawyer in Columbia, South Carolina is roughly $200 to $400–but you may wish to repay legal costs as part of a settlement or repayment agreement. Our free consultation process helps Strom Law clients understand the anticipated costs to represent their interests and conclude a tax liability case, often with the potential to negotiate your overall obligations by a large margin.
Where we believe you qualify for an offer in compromise or tax relief, the amount you can dismiss from your debts will often far exceed the cost of capable legal representation.
Average Tax Attorney Fees
Every case is different, and the outcomes you wish to achieve, the nature of your tax issues, or the duration of the matter will all affect the amount of legal work necessary to reach a resolution. Attorneys charge either hourly or fixed rates, and there is often the scope to discuss repayment options to ensure you can access legal support without exacerbating any financial challenges you may be facing.
Can a tax attorney negotiate with IRS officials within the case fee? Absolutely–when you hire a Strom Law attorney to represent you, they will dive into your case details to establish a strong strategy and take the negotiations to the IRS to help you achieve a favorable outcome. Our teams focus on exceptional client services and will always discuss the options and alternatives available to help you make informed decisions about how you wish for us to proceed.
Typical Attorney Costs to Resolve an IRS Tax Matter
We support both individual and small business clients, and the first step is to determine the nature of your tax case, at which point we can normally give an estimated duration and cost to finalize the matter. The general price ranges across South Carolina will not apply to every tax case but may help you determine a ballpark figure:
- Preparing and negotiating an installment agreement: up to $1,500
- Demonstrating eligibility and implementing an offer in compromise: up to $6,500
- Representing your interest in an IRS audit: up to $3,500 for a simple audit and up to $5,000 and above for highly complex cases
- Filing IRS appeals with supporting evidence and documentation: up to $7,500
- Requesting and finalizing a penalty abatement petition: up to $2,500
IRS tax proceedings can relate to scenarios where debts owed and being actively pursued by the IRS run into tens of thousands of dollars, so tax attorney fees are often a cost-effective option. For example, a penalty abatement petition could successfully reduce or remove heavy IRS fines and financial penalties, removing perceived transgressions from your tax record and leaving you with a heavily reduced debt, if any.
Why Hire a Tax Attorney Over a Tax Debt Company?
Tax debt companies are often predatory businesses that target unsuspecting clients who have found themselves in a compromising position, often due to unexpectedly large tax bills or a backlog of unfiled tax returns. We strongly advise hiring a qualified, regulated tax attorney rather than a tax debt relief company. They claim to help thousands settle tax debts for a fraction of the amount, pausing property seizures and high monthly repayment charges.
The challenge is that many of these advertisements are scams or misleading, and the companies behind them do not have the professional expertise or credentials to negotiate with the IRS or represent your interests. Tax debt is far from uncommon, making it a lucrative area for businesses to charge unethical fees or make promises they cannot hope to keep.
Encountering a business with deceptive trading and billing tactics can make a tax issue significantly more stressful and leave you in a worse position than before. If you are worried about tax debts, IRS liabilities, an audit of your affairs, or other tax-related matters, please contact Strom Law for a free, no-obligation consultation to see how we can help.
