Pensacola State Tax Attorney

Pensacola State Tax Lawyer

Florida is known for its lack of personal income tax; however, there are still numerous state taxes that individuals and employers must pay. A knowledgeable Pensacola state tax attorney can help taxpayers successfully navigate these requirements and address any disputes.

TaxSmith, LLC: Helping You Navigate State Tax Laws and Tax Obligations

For decades, the team at TaxSmith, LLC has helped individual and business taxpayers manage their state, federal, and local tax obligations. If you are experiencing issues with your state taxes, such as significant debt, an audit, or other concerns, our team can provide you with compassionate and experienced guidance.

State Tax Planning Tips

The ideal way to avoid tax issues is to stay on top of your obligations and understand the right strategies for filing and minimizing your tax liability. Some important considerations include:

• Ensuring you have accurate and complete records of your income, expenses, and deductions
• Determining your tax bracket and how that impacts your deductions and other tax plans
• Learning strategic tax avoidance and maximizing your credits and deductions
• Contributing to retirement accounts
• Using tax-loss harvesting
• Planning for major events that will have tax consequences
• Using tax-advantaged financial accounts

Of course, emergencies can happen at any time and often upend plans. It’s important to know that when you hire a state tax attorney, they can help with state tax issues and disputes.

Manage Potential Tax Disputes and Hire a State Tax Attorney

The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) collected over $65 billion in state and local taxes from 2023 to 2024 and is projected to collect nearly $47 billion in state and local taxes from 2024 to 2025. In Escambia County, more than $97 million was reported in local option sales tax revenue from 2023 to 2024.

There are many potential legal issues that Pensacola taxpayers may deal with, both with the DOR and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Some of the potential disputes include:

• Tax penalties and interest: Penalties can be assessed by the DOR or IRS for late payments, insufficient payments, information errors, unreported income, and other issues with your tax returns. These penalties, if you don’t address them, will continue to collect interest. Penalties could also continue to accrue if you ignore your unpaid taxes.
  This can significantly increase your tax liability beyond what you can manage. An attorney can help you manage this sooner rather than later. If a penalty was awarded in error, or you have reasonable cause for the issue, an attorney could help you waive the penalty.
• Employment and business tax issues: Employers and businesses have to pay both state and federal payroll taxes. State taxes include corporate income taxes and reemployment taxes. Employers and businesses can face tax disputes for failing to pay these taxes in the right pay period or to the right amount. Other disputes include the misclassification of employees.
  An attorney helps minimize these risks before they happen or addresses existing disputes.
• Audits and assessments: An audit can occur because of a discrepancy or at random. Regardless of the cause, an audit could have consequences if issues are found in tax documents. Some audits result in additional required tax payments, while others may lead to penalties and even criminal charges. Individuals and businesses alike should work with the right attorney to prepare documentation and protect their rights.
• Liens and levies: Property liens and bank levies are methods that tax agencies use to collect unpaid back taxes. Property liens are claims on your property, such as real estate. Levies occur when the agency seizes that property, such as a home, funds from a bank account, or other assets. Both liens and levies can significantly impact your financial abilities.
  Working with an attorney can help you address tax agency collection actions and potentially negotiate your tax debt.
• Property tax disputes: Homeowners and other property owners may have disputes about the property taxes they are assessed. A state tax attorney can help with these issues, including contesting the assessment.
• Tax fraud and tax evasion: These are criminal offenses that are charged by the IRS or DOR if the agency believes you are intentionally avoiding paying your taxes or are lying to the agency to limit your tax obligation. This can lead to serious criminal charges, even potentially felony charges. You need an attorney if you are being investigated for these offenses.

FAQs About Pensacola State Tax Law

Is It Worth Getting a State Tax Lawyer?

It is incredibly useful to work with a state tax lawyer, especially if you have a complex tax filing situation or are dealing with tax debt. A Pensacola state tax lawyer could help you review and potentially dispute a tax debt, help you review your options for settling and negotiating tax debt, and help you avoid future issues with your taxes by helping you prepare your taxes.

How Much Does a State Tax Attorney Cost vs a CPA?

Generally, a state tax attorney will have a higher cost than a CPA (certified public accountant). Both professionals have experience in state tax laws and how those laws impact individuals and businesses. Lawyers, however, can provide legal advice and can help you explore your options for tax debt resolution and represent your interests. The cost of both a CPA and an attorney will depend on their experience and other factors.

What Does a State Tax Attorney Lawyer Do?

A state tax attorney understands local, state, and federal laws about taxes and how those tax laws affect you as a taxpayer. You may be an individual or business taxpayer. A state tax attorney can help you address issues in your taxes, manage tax planning, deal with state or federal agencies in an audit or investigation, and much more.

When Should You Hire a Tax Attorney?

Hiring a tax attorney can be helpful at any time, but it is especially important if you:

1. Have significant tax debt that you cannot pay
2. Are facing an audit, regardless of whether you believe you made an error or not
3. Are having a dispute with a tax agency about the tax you owe

Working with a state tax attorney to prepare your taxes can also help minimize the risk of disputes, errors, and other issues.

Contact TaxSmith, LLC Today

If you are dealing with state tax issues in Pensacola, get in contact with TaxSmith, LLC. We can help you find the ideal outcome in your case and potentially avoid more serious consequences.