Tax Court in Vancouver, Washington

Find the right Tax Court attorney in Vancouver, WA

Tax Court Lawyers in Vancouver

Tax courts execute roughly the same function as any other court: they present a forum to resolve legal disputes in an orderly, fair, and efficient manner. The only difference with tax courts is that they specialize in solving disagreements that have to do with tax law.

At the federal level, there is the United States Tax Court, which has courthouses all over the country, containing one in or near Vancouver, Washington.

U.S. Tax Courts deal with almost every legal issue that has to do with the federal tax commitments of an individual or corporation. The U.S. District Courts are the courts of "general jurisdiction" in the U.S., meaning that they can hear almost any type of civil or criminal case under their jurisdiction. This includes tax cases, but the law only allows them to hear such cases if the tax in question has already been paid. Tax courts can hear cases before the tax has been paid.

Tax Court Procedure in Vancouver, Washington

Any legal issue that concerns federal taxes in Vancouver, Washington, or anywhere else in the U.S., can go to tax court. It's most often the case that the IRS initiates legal action against a taxpayer, alleging that they have failed to pay all of their obligated taxes, or are delinquent in some other way. The taxpayer usually has 90 days to respond, which initiates adversarial tax court proceedings. Failing to respond may result in the taxpayer forfeiting their rights to contest the allegations against them.

Federal tax courts are presided over by judges who are assigned by the President of the United States. These judges serve 15-year terms. Judges whose terms expire are consistently re-appointed by the sitting President, so most tax court judges effectively serve for life.

Tax courts in the U.S. have a few distinct features. Perhaps most notably, people who are not admitted to practice law in Washington, or in any other jurisdiction, are allowed to represent clients in tax court. However, non-lawyers must take, and pass, a fairly challenging 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.

Usually, a Vancouver, Washington resident will end up in tax court because the IRS has determined that they have not paid all of the taxes that they owe, and has sent them a notice indicating as much. When this happens, the taxpayer has 90 days to file a claim in Tax Court contesting the IRS's allegations. If you believe that the allegations against you are untrue, and wish to fight them, it's essential that you file a claim in tax court within the allotted time period. Otherwise, you could lose your right to challenge that tax bill permanently.

Do I Need a Vancouver, Washington Tax Attorney?

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

If you are going to tax court, it should be evident by now that you should seek the advice and assistance of a good Vancouver, Washington tax lawyer. This is not a knock against the non-lawyers who are licensed to practice before tax court; the vast majority of them are perfectly competent. However, if a licensed attorney seriously mishandles your case, you will have a great deal of legal recourse against them, more so than with a non-attorney.

Talk to a Tax Law Attorney now!

Life in Vancouver

Vancouver, WA is a city in Clark County, Washington. It has a population of about 162,000 people, making it the 4th largest city in the state of Washington.

Vancouver, Washington was founded in the early 1800s as a fishing, logging, and fur-trading center. Obviously, the economy of the region, including Vancouver, WA has evolved over the decades. Now, Vancouver's economy largely parallels that of the rest of the region: it is now a center of the American high-tech industry. The Hewlett-Packard computer company is one of the largest employers in Vancouver, WA. The economy is also heavily based on services, including retail, medicine, and legal services and attorneys.

Because of its diverse and service-based economy, Vancouver, WA attorneys are skilled in a large number of different practice areas, because they have to be in order to stay competitive.

So, if you are facing a legal issue in the Vancouver area, you're going to want to consult a Vancouver, WA attorney as soon as possible.

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