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Tax Litigation

A dispute with a taxing authority, like any other legal dispute, often does not have to lead to the courtroom. In many cases, the taxpayer and the agency can arrive at a mutually acceptable solution outside of court, and without resorting to litigation. However, for those times when a resolution is not so simple, and litigation becomes necessary, you need an advocate who possesses a unique mix of tax knowledge and litigation ability. The tax specialists at the Ben-Cohen Law Firm possess exactly that rare combination of proficiencies. Our Los Angeles tax litigation lawyers utilize our in-depth knowledge of the tax law and the litigation process to maximize our clients’ results.

The Tax Litigation Process

At the conclusion of an examination, if there are any proposed changes, the IRS agent sends the taxpayer an examination report outlining the changes made to the tax return and a letter notifying the taxpayer of his or her right to appeal the proposed changes within 30 days. An appeal typically involves a conference with an IRS Appeals Officer and filing a formal written protest stating which proposed changes the taxpayer disagrees with and the reasons for the disagreement. If the taxpayer does not respond to the 30-day letter or no agreement is reached with the IRS Appeals Office, the taxpayer generally will receive a notice of deficiency which provides 90 days to file a petition with the U.S. Tax Court. If the taxpayer does not respond to this 90-day letter, the amount on the notice of deficiency will be assessed regardless of whether the proposed changes were made in error.

Extensive experience plus personalized representation

Our clients enjoy legal representation that provides a special blend of varied, in-depth, and hands on experience in tax litigation matters that would normally be typical of a large firm, while still receiving the close, personalized attention of a boutique practice. Pedram Ben-Cohen is an Attorney and a CPA, certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Taxation Law Specialist. Mr. Ben-Cohen has first-hand experience with tax litigation cases, having been associated with two international tax defense firms and the Tax Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Our tax litigation lawyers represent Los Angeles clients and others before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during all phases of the tax dispute process, including each aspect of an audit, as well as litigation before the U.S. Tax Court, trial courts, and appellate courts. Moreover, our practice goes beyond simply dealing with the IRS and federal income tax matters. We also handle state tax audits (including multistate audits), and regularly represent clients before the California Franchise Tax Board, the State Board of Equalization, and Employment Development Department. We provide our clients with a careful and thoughtful strategy to manage the audit and yield a successful result. When possible, we achieve this through settlement. However, when an administrative hearing or trial is necessary, we stand ready to defend your rights and help you pursue the best possible outcome.

We specialize in tax disputes

Many general litigation firms may provide clients with high-quality, zealous representation, but may lack detailed knowledge of tax law and procedure. For example, a tax planning attorney may offer outstanding advice on structuring your assets and business entities to achieve a favorable result in terms of tax liability, but may have a more limited familiarity with tax dispute procedures. At the Ben-Cohen Law Firm, however, our Los Angeles attorneys focus on tax litigation and controversies. Whether the issue you face involves an offshore asset matter, a voluntary disclosure, an IRS audit, or a dispute with a state or local taxing authority, we are familiar and experienced with providing the highest caliber tax litigation defense.

If you have concerns about potential litigation involving a tax dispute, contact the tax attorneys at the Ben-Cohen Law Firm. Our Los Angeles tax litigation attorneys can advise and represent you in all aspects of your tax litigation matter, and work with you to resolve your dispute as favorably as possible.


Client Reviews
I approached Mr. Ben-Cohen regarding a pending case with the State of California and my small business. During a time that was quite stressful, I found Mr. Ben-Cohen to be the perfect person to represent me and my company. He communicated with me in clear terms so that I understood everything that was taking place in a timely manner. He treated my situation with the type of candor you only find in a consummate professional and successfully negotiated a deal with the State of California that far exceeded my expectations. I found him to be kind, efficient, sensitive and nothing short of brilliant. I consider myself fortunate to have met him and highly recommend his services. I will not hesitate to use his firm in the future should a need arise. Google, We Care Spa
★★★★★
I am an international tax advisor and have worked with Pedram on more than a dozen difficult and challenging cases. Pedram's clients and fellow advisors highly respect him because he has an uncanny ability to quickly identify and work diligently to resolve his clients' issues. Pedram is pragmatic in his approach. He is transparent with his clients and dedicated to getting to a fair and reasonable outcome. I have attended an IRS Appeals conference with Pedram and would want no other attorney on my side. Pedram is extremely passionate in his work and representing his clients. He is also enjoyable to work with and develops very good relationships with his clients and fellow advisors. I highly recommend Pedram for any tax controversy work. Avvo, Curt
★★★★★
Top Drawer Tax Fraud Lawyer. Pedram got me out a CI jam I thought I would not resolve. He is also fair and reasonable with his billing. I interviewed 4 top Tax Fraud Lawyers in LA and went with Pedram...Glad I did! Google, Michael Jeppson
★★★★★
Pedram Ben-Cohen at Ben-Cohen Law Firm, PLC is one of the most incredible, creative, and caring attorneys I have ever dealt with. He gave us hope but also gave us the reality and worst case scenario. He fought for us tooth and nail. The attention and time Pedram put into the case was like no other. He charged us more than fair and was very reasonable in every aspect. He is not the kind of attorney that charges for every minute. I liked him very much not only as an attorney but as a person because he is very honest, is true to his integrity, and is dedicated to his clients. He loves what he does and has the passion to protect and defend his clients, which totally shows in his work and our outcome. We originally hired another attorney from a famous firm who basically did not give us much hope on our case . That is when we came to Pedram who won our case in a short amount of time and got us the outcome we were looking for. Because of Pedram and his creativeness, willingness, and dedication, he got us our favorable outcome. He is our go to attorney for sure, without a doubt. Avvo, Anonymous
★★★★★
A few years ago I had a major tax problem and I was looking for the right professional tax lawyer. I interviewed at least five experts and all of them were very professional. I am very picky. When I met Mr. Pedram Ben-Cohen, it took me no more than five minutes to decide that he was the one, and I was absolutely right with my intuition. He is very professional, knowledgeable, smart, and knows his job perfectly. In addition to all of his professional skills, as a person he is very friendly, pleasant, ready to help, and took care of me like I was his own family. I referred and recommended him to friends and family with tax problems and will continue to do so warmly to anyone. I know that he is able and will do his job the best way for his clients. He is my personal tax lawyer and expert and will remain so. Google, Shlomo Kattan
★★★★★
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