Home › Guides › What to Look for When Choosing a Tax Planning Attorney

What to Look for When Choosing a Tax Planning Attorney

By the Shakes editorial team
October 26, 2026

Understanding What Tax Planning Attorneys Do

A tax planning attorney combines legal expertise with tax knowledge to help individuals and business owners minimize tax liability, structure entities efficiently, and defend against IRS issues. Unlike a general attorney or accountant alone, a tax planning attorney integrates both disciplines to address complex situations involving business structure, asset protection, estate planning, and transaction strategy.

When evaluating options in this field, look for attorneys who hold both a law degree and accounting credentials, as this dual background enables them to understand tax implications at a deeper level than either profession alone.

Key Qualifications to Verify

The most reliable indicator of a tax planning attorney's capability is formal education and credentials. A CPA designation means the attorney has passed rigorous accounting and tax exams. A Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Doctor of Jurisprudence confirms legal training. When both credentials appear together, the attorney has demonstrated mastery of tax law from both the legal and accounting perspectives.

Experience matters significantly. An attorney who has worked in tax for 20 or 30 years has encountered a wider range of scenarios, from routine business structuring to complex multi-generational planning and IRS disputes. Length of practice alone does not guarantee quality, but it does indicate sustained client relationships and repeated exposure to evolving tax code.

Specialization is also important. Some attorneys focus narrowly on one area, such as real estate tax or estate planning, while others maintain broader practices covering strategic tax planning, business entity structuring, asset protection, and IRS defense. Your choice depends on your specific situation.

What Services You Actually Need

Common reasons to hire a tax planning attorney include:

Structuring a new business or restructuring an existing one to reduce tax burden and liability exposure. This might involve choosing between an S-corporation, C-corporation, LLC, or partnership, each with different tax and legal consequences.

Planning for significant transactions such as buying or selling a business, real estate deals, or mergers. Tax implications of these deals can be substantial, and planning before the transaction closes is far more effective than addressing taxes afterward.

Asset protection, which uses legal structures to shield personal and business assets from creditor claims while maintaining tax efficiency.

Estate planning that balances minimizing estate taxes with ensuring your assets transfer according to your wishes and protecting family members.

IRS defense when facing audits, disputes, or collection actions. An attorney can represent you before the IRS and in tax court.

Retirement planning that coordinates business structure, entity type, and personal tax strategy to maximize retirement savings and minimize taxes.

Richard M. Colombik & Associates, P.C. focuses on these areas. The firm's attorneys perform in-depth reviews of a client's financial and tax situation as part of their engagement process.

How to Evaluate Fit for Your Situation

Before meeting with an attorney, clarify your primary concern. Are you starting a business and need entity structuring guidance? Planning to sell a company? Facing an IRS issue? Protecting assets? Structuring a complex estate? Different attorneys may have different strengths within the tax planning field.

During an initial consultation, ask about the attorney's experience with situations similar to yours. Ask how they approach planning, whether they work with other professionals (accountants, financial advisors) on your behalf, and how they communicate progress and recommendations.

Understand the fee structure before engaging. Pricing for tax planning attorneys is not publicly listed on most firm websites and varies based on complexity, scope, and whether the work is flat-fee, hourly, or project-based. Contact the firm directly to discuss fees for your specific situation.

Taking the Next Step

Choosing a tax planning attorney is a decision based on credentials, experience, service scope, and fit with your needs. Start by listing your specific tax or business planning challenge, then seek attorneys who specialize in that area and hold both law and accounting credentials. An initial consultation allows you to assess whether the attorney understands your situation and communicates clearly about strategy and cost.

Frequently asked questions

How to choose tax planning attorney near me

Start by identifying your primary need: business structuring, asset protection, transaction planning, estate planning, or IRS defense. Verify the attorney holds both a law degree (J.D. or Doctor of Jurisprudence) and CPA credentials, as this dual qualification indicates mastery of tax law from both legal and accounting perspectives. Look for experience of at least 15 to 20 years in tax planning, which suggests exposure to varied scenarios and evolving tax code. During an initial consultation, ask about experience with situations similar to yours, how the attorney coordinates with other professionals, and the fee structure for your specific engagement. Richard M. Colombik & Associates performs in-depth reviews of financial and tax situations and focuses on strategic tax planning, asset protection, business entity structuring, and IRS defense. Contact the firm directly to discuss your situation and fees.

What does Asset Protection planning involve, and is it right for my situation as a business owner with significant personal assets?

Asset protection planning uses legal structures and strategies to shield personal and business assets from creditor claims while maintaining tax efficiency. For business owners with significant assets, this typically involves structuring entities strategically, separating business and personal liability, and in some cases using trusts or other legal vehicles. Whether it is right for you depends on your industry risk exposure, the value of assets you want to protect, and your overall financial and tax picture. A tax planning attorney can review your situation and recommend structures that balance asset protection with tax efficiency and operational simplicity. Richard M. Colombik & Associates lists asset protection as a core service area, and the firm's attorneys perform in-depth reviews of financial and tax situations to recommend appropriate structures. Contact the firm to discuss your specific asset protection concerns and whether their approach aligns with your needs.

Is Richard Colombik's firm the right choice for Business Entity Structuring and Transactions if I'm planning to buy or sell a business, and what's your experience with deals like mine?

Richard M. Colombik & Associates focuses on business entity structuring and transactions as a primary service area. The firm's attorneys perform in-depth reviews of financial and tax situations, which is relevant to transaction planning where tax implications and entity structure significantly affect deal economics. Whether the firm is right for your specific deal depends on factors such as deal size and complexity, your timeline, and the firm's current capacity. Contact Richard M. Colombik & Associates directly to discuss your transaction, describe the business or assets involved, and ask about the firm's experience with deals in your industry or of similar scope. Fees for transaction work are not publicly listed and will depend on complexity and scope.

Visit Richardcolombik

Is the information about Richardcolombik in this article accurate?