Tax Court Lawyers in Ilion

A tax court is a venue that permits legal disputes relating to taxes to be resolved in an orderly, efficient manner.

Almost all legal concerns having to do with federal taxes are resolved in the U.S. Tax Court, which has at least one courthouse in every state, and various courthouses in each of the larger states. This means that there is almost certainly a tax court in, or within a reasonable distance of, Ilion, New York.

Tax courts in America handle the vast majority of legal issues that concern federal tax obligations of a person or other legal entity, such as a corporation. There are various procedural rules that are meant to funnel tax concerns into tax courts, without strictly requiring them to be heard there. For example, only tax courts can hear tax cases where the tax in question has not yet been paid. The courts of general jurisdiction - known as the U.S. District Court - can also hear tax cases, but they can only hear tax cases if the disputed tax bill has already been paid.

Tax Court Procedure in Ilion, New York

Claims dealing with tax law can come from any conflict that has to do with one's duty to pay taxes in Ilion, New York. This typically happens when the state or federal tax authorities allege that someone has failed to pay their taxes, and therefore owes the government money. If the taxpayer disagrees, a tax court has to resolve the issue.

The judges who preside over U.S. Tax Courts are appointed by the President. They serve terms of 15 years. When their terms expire, the vast majority of these judges are simply re-appointed by whichever president is in office at the time, so most tax court judges effectively serve for life, or until they retire.

Tax courts in the U.S. have a few unique features. Perhaps most notably, people who are not admitted to practice law in New York, or in any other jurisdiction, are permitted to represent clients in tax court. However, non-lawyers must take, and pass, a fairly difficult exam to demonstrate that they have an in-depth understanding of U.S. tax law. If someone is already a lawyer, however, they can practice before a tax court without taking this exam.

Normally, residents of Ilion, New York will end up in tax court because the IRS, or another tax agency, has alleged that they have failed to pay all the taxes that they owe. In the interest of due process, the IRS will send the taxpayer a letter informing them that they owe back taxes. At this point, the taxpayer will have something like 90 days to go to Tax Court to fight these allegations, if they so desire. If you do not file a response within the allotted time, the tax bill will become final, and you will have no legal means to contest it.

Do I Need a Ilion, New York Tax Attorney?

Although federal tax court permits, under some circumstances, non-lawyers to represent taxpayers, the practice of tax law is extremely intricate and specialized. Many attorneys who practice tax law do not practice in any other area.

So, if you need to go to tax court, for whatever reason, you should pursue the counsel of a good tax attorney in Ilion, New York. While a non-lawyer who's licensed to practice before the tax courts may well give you perfectly competent representation, there are still advantages to hiring a lawyer. The main advantage is that lawyers are far more regulated in their profession than most non-lawyers. So, if a tax attorney severely damages your case due to negligence or incompetence, you will have substantial legal recourse against them.