A Tax Estate Attorney handles legal cases that involve estates and inheritance taxes. They help their clients prepare taxes and settle disputes with the IRS. They also represent clients in criminal and civil tax court proceedings. A tax attorney can also help clients file back-taxes and reduce interest and penalty fees. They can also assist their clients with estate planning and probate. A successful career as a tax attorney requires extensive education and training. Students interested in becoming a tax attorney should enroll in a college preparatory high school program and take rigorous classes that will make them competitive applicants for law school. Students should also take honors and advanced placement courses and strive to earn high scores on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT.
A good Tax Estate Attorney should be familiar with federal and state laws related to estate taxation. This is especially important because the basic exclusion amount (BEA) is set to change in 2026. They should also be able to create a comprehensive plan that will protect their client’s assets from excessive taxation.
In addition to handling tax-related litigation, a skilled Tax Estate Attorney should be able to provide advice on the best way to transfer property to family members without incurring high tax liabilities. This involves examining the client’s entire financial picture, including the ownership of assets like real estate, cash, art collections, vehicles, businesses, publicly traded securities and other investments. The lawyer should be able to determine the best ways to transfer these assets to family members and other beneficiaries without paying excessive taxes.
Estate planning is another area that a Tax Estate Attorney should be well-versed in. This includes creating trusts and preparing wills. It is essential for families to have an estate plan in place because it can minimize the amount of taxes they owe when a loved one passes away. A good Tax Estate Attorney will be able to assist their clients with this process and ensure that all of the necessary paperwork is filed properly.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended many miscellaneous deductions, but certain estate-planning fees may still be tax deductible. This is particularly true for those who use an online service to create a will, trust or other documents. The fee for these services depends on who provides the service, how much experience they have and what type of documents are created. The more complex the document, the higher the fee.
While some attorneys charge an hourly rate, others may offer flat fees. These are typically offered for simple or routine matters and are usually less expensive than a typical hourly rate. Regardless of how the attorney charges, they should be upfront about the cost of their services and explain to the client what is included in the fee. It is also helpful to have a written agreement that outlines what services are covered by the fee. This can prevent misunderstandings later on. This can also help the client to budget for future legal costs.
