Tax attorneys specialize in taxation law and help clients resolve tax issues. They must complete seven years of education including a bachelor's degree, a Master of Laws in Taxation degree, and passing the state bar exam. Tax attorneys keep up-to-date on tax regulations, counsel clients, and communicate with tax authorities to evaluate tax issues and develop solutions.
2. A tax attorney specializes in various forms of taxation.
In order to become a tax attorney, students generally
compete seven years of schooling and must become
licensed by passing the bar exam. Tax attorneys
investigate legal cases for business law, counsel
clients and communicate with officials in the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) and corporate finance
departments.
3. Tax Attorney Job Description
When tax issues arise, the public generally turns to tax
attorneys to help resolve the problems. Tax attorneys
possess strong knowledge of tax laws and issues
including income, property, gift and federal tax. Tax
attorneys stay up-to-date with IRS regulations and
tax laws in order to counsel clients on changes that
affect their accounts. Tax attorneys also keep
accurate records and develop plans to solve financial
issues that affect his or her clients.
4. Duties of a Tax Attorney
Tax attorneys are responsible for a number of different
tasks including:
Keeping confidential records and tax information for
clients
Understanding finance and accounting principles
Communicating and negotiating with federal, state
and local government
Evaluating and assessing complicated tax issues
Researching and analyzing federal and state laws
5. Requirements
It generally takes a student seven years of college
education to become a tax attorney, with the first
four years of schooling spent completing a bachelor's
degree.
6. Undergraduate Pre-Law Degree
There is not a required bachelor's degree program to
become a tax attorney, but earning a Bachelor of
Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in
Accounting will give students extensive knowledge
on how to communicate and analyze financial data
and keep accounting records.
7. After completing general education requirements,
students will begin taking core accounting courses;
some programs may require undergraduates to
complete an approved accounting or finance
internship. Core accounting courses in a BSBA in
Accounting program might include:
Financial, managerial and cost accounting
Income tax I and II
Fundamentals of auditing
Business law I and II
8. Master of Laws in Taxation
Upon completion of a bachelor's degree, aspiring tax
attorneys attend law school for the Master of Laws in
Taxation (LL.M.) degree, which takes a minimum of
three years to complete. Most LL.M. programs give
students two options: they can take a variety of
electives to develop understanding of many aspects
of tax law, or choose an area of specialization to
focus on. Areas of specialization include:
10. Although some programs allow students to chose
electives that will provide in-depth understanding of
specific areas of taxation, there are standard courses
that all law students will take no matter which
specialization is chosen. These graduate courses
include:
Federal income taxation I and II
Tax practice and procedures
Corporate tax
Partnership tax
11. Licensing Requirements
After completing law school, all 50 states require
lawyers to pass a bar exam, giving the lawyer a
license to practice within the state. Administered by
the National Conference of Bar Examiners, this
extensive 6-hour test covers a variety of law topics
and is administered to ensure that attorneys have the
skills that are needed to fairly and properly represent
clients in the court of law. The American Board of
Certification (ABC) states that a passing score on the
bar exam is generally between 75 and 80 percent.