The Right Kind of Education for a Tax Attorney
Problems with the IRS can be a nightmare. Tax attorneys can help consumers with these problems. The amount of help clients can receive will depend upon what kind of education the tax attorney has taken.
The first education a tax attorney needs to help consumers is a standard Bachelor’s degree. If the student already plans to go into tax law, it is wise to major in a related field, such as accounting or pre-law if there is such a program at the given school. The first degree provides the basic foundation of the tax lawyer’s education. Tax attorney status will not come until later.
The next step in education of a tax attorney is the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. This is the primary education that all attorneys go through to become ready to practice law. Teaching in this degree program is comprised of studies of case law, criminal defense, moot court, and various other classes. The requirements for this degree are stringent and demanding.
After all this education, a tax attorney must pass the state bar exam in any state where he or she plans to practice law. Some attorneys have to try several times before they are able to be admitted by the bar.
For most, education for a tax attorney is not complete without one further degree. The Master of Laws (LL.M.) in taxation is an advanced degree that covers all the specialized cases that come about in tax law. An attorney with this kind of degree can help not only individuals with tax problems, but corporations and foreign entities as well.
No matter what kind of education a tax attorney has, it makes sense to check his or her credentials. Finding a good lawyer to represent one in court is imperative when the stakes are high. With the IRS knocking on the door, that is usually the case.
