How to be a great legal client when working with a tax attorney

If you are dealing with a complicated tax issue, you may be considering hiring an experienced tax attorney for legal guidance. Individuals who require tax guidance should take their time to find an attorney capable of handling their unique case. In addition, it is important to be aware of how to be a great legal client for the tax attorney you hire. Being a good client makes a tax attorney’s job easier and helps them provide the best legal guidance based on your tax situation. You can learn more about how a tax attorney can help with your tax situation by contacting the experienced Mississippi tax attorneys of Damien Law at (601) 957-9672.

Consider hiring an attorney early

Consider hiring an attorney soon after you realize you need one can help both you and the attorney. You should start exploring options soon after you have discovered that you have a tax problem that requires legal guidance. Allowing the tax issue to go unaddressed can cause preventable complications that make your case more difficult to resolve. If you hire an attorney early in the process and provide them with all of the information they need, the attorney will be better able to find a resolution.

Tax issues often involve strict deadlines, which makes it critical to act quickly. Taxpayers may also have trouble finding attorneys to take their case if the deadline is fast approaching. Acting quickly allows the client to have their choice of local lawyers and find the option that best meets their needs.

Be open and honest with your tax attorney

Whether working with a tax attorney or any other type of lawyer, honesty from clients is crucial. Disclosing the full truth to your tax attorney will allow them to offer you the best legal representation possible, while omitting relevant information may prevent them from helping you resolve your case. When the IRS is involved, they will typically find out all relevant information eventually. The Internal Revenue Service is also willing to work with taxpayers to find a realistic resolution to the tax dispute through measures like payment plans and offers in compromise. Being untruthful about parts of your case can call into question the accuracy of all other aspects of the case.

Stay in communication

Tax attorneys need a consistent line of communication with their clients to do their jobs effectively. Even if there have not been any recent developments with the case, the client should always respond to phone calls or emails as soon as possible. Ignoring an attorney’s attempts to contact you could harm your case, especially in time-sensitive cases like IRS audits and tax disputes.

Clients should also focus on being responsive rather than overly aggressive when communicating with their attorneys. While clients should always raise any questions they have with their lawyer or provide updates, contacting the attorney too often can also get in the way of the time spent working on the case. You can learn more about how to be a great legal client by contacting Damiens Law.

Be prepared with documents and information

Tax attorneys need access to the full breadth of their client’s tax information. Good clients provide their tax attorneys with extensive tax records and other relevant documents, such as receipts for business expenses. Important paperwork should be organized by category into different folders so that they can be sorted and accessed easily. If the client has a court date or meeting with the Internal Revenue Service, they should bring all documents along and be prepared to respond to questioning based on the prep work they did with their tax attorney.

Be respectful

Business relationships, like personal relationships, require respect between both parties. Clients should expect their attorneys to dedicate significant time to their cases and use their legal expertise to find the best way to handle the case. However, clients also should remember that their law firm has other clients and avoid repeatedly calling or demanding attention from the firm. If the client has taken the time to find the right firm for them, they should be able to trust that they are handling the case correctly without constant updates. However, the law firm also has an obligation to keep its client updated throughout the process when needed.

Clients should also be careful to treat everyone at the law firm with respect, not just the lawyers. Paralegals, secretaries, and all other employees play a vital role in the case and deserve the same respect as the top attorney on the case.

Pay bills promptly

Paying the attorney’s bill on time is another form of showing respect to the law firm. Clients should strive to pay the bill within 30 days consistently. Law firms dedicate significant time and resources to their cases and deserve to be compensated quickly.

Consider an ongoing relationship

Depending on the nature of the tax services required, some clients may consider forming a long-term professional relationship with their tax attorney. Some common situations in which it makes sense to work with a tax attorney long-term include:

• Businesses and corporations that require tax lawyers for their complex tax situations
• Wealthy individuals due to more complicated tax filings
• Self-employed or self-proprietorships due to complex tax situations

Clients who have worked with the same tax attorney for many years also often refer new clients to the same attorney.

How can attorneys keep their clients happy?

The attorney-client relationship is a two-way street, and attorneys must strive to provide the best possible legal service to their clients and ensure that they are satisfied with their services. While striving to represent their client’s best interests from a legal standpoint is the most vital aspect of this relationship, there are several other ways that law firms can ensure that their clients are satisfied.

Create a welcoming environment for clients

Law firm clients should feel welcomed when visiting the firm in person and when corresponding with the attorneys. A good tax attorney will be passionate about helping people through their work, which will show when interacting with clients. The relationship should never feel transactional. The firm should focus on being inviting from the very beginning of the attorney-client relationship while providing carefully considered legal guidance in a confident way.

Maintain regular communication

Providing clients with consistent, high-quality communication is one of the most important responsibilities of a tax attorney. This involves remaining easily accessible over the phone and email and responding to client concerns as soon as possible. Communication also involves being mindful of which method of communication works best for each client, as some may prefer phone calls, others emails, and others may prefer communicating through a client portal.

Law firms can ensure that a particular client’s communication needs are met by asking each client to choose their preferred method, along with how often they want to hear from the law firm. Clients should be updated regularly and the law firm should always notify them about deadlines. Consistently keeping clients up to date and meeting deadlines will help build client trust.

When should you hire a tax attorney?

Tax attorneys can provide extremely valuable legal guidance in a wide range of tax situations. Some of the most common reasons people hire tax attorneys include:

• Estate planning – Tax attorneys help their clients implement estate planning strategies that can help minimize estate taxes and ensure their assets are transferred according to their wishes. They also help with setting up trusts and other estate planning matters.
• Tax disputes – A tax attorney can help with all forms of tax disputes, including those that involve the IRS as well as state and local tax authorities. Clients often turn to tax lawyers for guidance related to suing the IRS, appealing an audit, and other disputes.
• Business concerns – Devising a strong tax strategy is one of the most important parts of starting a new business. Existing businesses also need to consider various tax strategies related to expanding the business. Tax attorneys can also help with tax matters related to buying or selling businesses.
• Tax relief – Taxpayers who have outstanding balances with the IRS or a state or local tax office can benefit from the guidance of an experienced tax attorney. Tax attorneys can help their clients explore all options for resolving the debt, communicate with the IRS on their behalf, and provide guidance through all other aspects of the process.

Learn more from our Mississippi tax attorneys

Learning how to be a great legal client can help ensure that you receive the best possible legal representation from your tax attorney. Clients who are focused on working with their attorney make their attorney’s job easier. However, the attorney bears the professional responsibility of consistently providing the best legal guidance possible to each client and communicating with all clients as effectively as possible.

At Damiens Law, our team of dedicated Mississippi tax attorneys is providing personalized legal guidance tailored to the unique situation, needs, and preferences of each client. If you have questions related to estate planning, a tax dispute, business taxes, or any other tax matter, we are prepared to learn more about your tax situation and provide the guidance you need. Contact Damiens Law today at (601) 957-9672.