Facing an IRS problem in Irving?
Tax and IRS matters in Irving — audits, back taxes, liens and levies, unfiled returns, payroll-tax trouble, or a U.S. Tax Court dispute — move on the government's timeline, not yours. A tax attorney brings attorney-client privilege and the standing to represent you before the IRS and the courts. The lawyer you choose can change the outcome and the cost.
Choosing a tax attorney is high-stakes, and the right fit depends on whether you are facing an audit, collections, a criminal investigation, or complex planning. Below are Irving-area tax firms and attorneys that appear consistently across Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, and Expertise.com, with verifiable tax-controversy focus. Many hold an LL.M. in taxation or a CPA license, and most offer a consultation.
How we picked these 7: We reviewed peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell), bar recognition, verifiable credentials, and consistency across independent directories. Firms that appeared across two or more independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Civil and criminal tax controversy, IRS audits and appeals, U.S. Tax Court
A boutique tax-controversy and white-collar defense firm led by Larry A. Brown that handles high-stakes, complex IRS matters for individuals and businesses, including audits, appeals, and litigation.
Practice focus: IRS audits, levies and liens, offers in compromise, unfiled returns
Founder Scott Scammahorn holds an LL.M. in Taxation and represents Irving individuals and businesses against IRS penalties, wage garnishments, property seizures, and audit disputes.
Practice focus: IRS disputes, payroll tax problems, business structuring, voluntary disclosures
A Dallas-area tax and immigration boutique that helps Irving clients resolve IRS controversies, payroll-tax exposure, and account-disclosure issues alongside business-formation work.
Practice focus: Tax resolution, offers in compromise, audit reconsideration, Tax Court
A practice dealing exclusively in tax controversy, handling penalty abatement, offers in compromise, audit reconsideration, and U.S. Tax Court representation for taxpayers in the Irving area.
Practice focus: IRS audit representation, tax lien negotiation, tax debt resolution
A practice serving Irving residents and small businesses with full-service IRS audit representation, lien and levy negotiation, and tax-debt resolution.
Practice focus: Tax controversy and planning, IRS audit defense, complex transactions
A full-service Texas firm with a substantial tax practice; Thomson Reuters named dozens of its attorneys to the 2026 Texas Super Lawyers list. It defends businesses and individuals in IRS disputes statewide.
Practice focus: IRS defense, audits, tax debt resolution, U.S. Tax Court
Led by multi-year Super Lawyer Chad Silver, the firm focuses on defending taxpayers against the IRS in audits, collections, and U.S. Tax Court for Irving-area individuals and businesses.
Tell us about your situation and we'll match you with vetted tax attorneys in Irving. Free, confidential, no obligation.
Request Free Consultation →Match the lawyer to the problem. A first-time audit or an installment agreement is different work from a trust-fund recovery penalty, a criminal tax investigation, or U.S. Tax Court litigation. Ask directly how many matters like yours the attorney has handled in the last few years and whether they appear before the IRS and the Tax Court regularly.
Beware national “tax relief” mills that advertise heavily and outsource the actual work. A licensed Texas tax attorney gives you privilege, accountability, and someone who will personally stand between you and the IRS. Confirm you are hiring an attorney, not a sales operation.
The firms above are a starting point, not a verdict. The right lawyer for you depends on your facts, your budget, and how you want to be treated. Use these five signals to compare them.
Genuine tax focus. Tax is a specialty. You want a lawyer who concentrates on tax controversy and resolution — ideally with an LL.M. in taxation, a CPA background, or years of IRS-facing work — not a generalist who takes tax cases occasionally.
Straight talk about your exposure. A good tax lawyer tells you at the first meeting what is realistic: whether an offer in compromise is plausible, what penalties may be abated, and where the real risk lies. If everything sounds easy and the debt sounds erasable, be skeptical.
Privilege and discretion. Only an attorney gives you attorney-client privilege, which matters enormously if your case has any criminal exposure. Ask how the firm protects sensitive information and whether your matter could turn criminal.
Fees in writing, in plain English. Tax representation can be flat-fee for defined work or hourly for litigation. You should leave knowing exactly what you will pay, what it covers, and what could cost extra. Vague pricing is a warning sign.
Credentials you can verify. Look for admission to the U.S. Tax Court, an LL.M. in taxation, CPA licensure, and peer recognition such as Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, or AV Preeminent. These are concrete and easy to check.
Most Irving tax matters begin with a notice — an audit letter, a balance due, a lien filing, or a levy warning. The first job of a tax attorney is to stop the clock where possible, communicate with the IRS on your behalf, and figure out the real numbers behind the notice.
From there the path depends on the facts: an audit is defended with documentation and, if needed, taken to IRS Appeals; a collection problem is resolved through an installment agreement, currently-not-collectible status, or an offer in compromise; and an unresolved dispute can be litigated in the U.S. Tax Court. Texas has no state income tax, but franchise-tax and sales-tax issues run through the state comptroller on a parallel track. Throughout, your attorney handles the correspondence so you do not face the IRS alone.
In Irving, defined tax work is often a flat fee — an installment agreement might run a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, while an offer in compromise or audit defense commonly ranges from about $2,500 to $7,500 depending on complexity.
Litigation and criminal tax defense are billed hourly, frequently around $300 to $600 an hour, with retainers to match. The math usually favors getting help early: penalties and interest compound, and a levy on wages or a bank account costs far more than a timely resolution. A good Texas tax attorney tells you at the outset whether your situation justifies the fee.
Not every situation needs a lawyer, but the ones on this page usually reward getting advice early. The question is not only what representation costs, but what a mistake costs — a missed deadline, a waived right, a weak filing, or an agreement signed under pressure. When the stakes are real, the value of good counsel shows up in the problems you never have to fix later.
A first consultation is the low-risk way to find out where you stand. Most firms above offer one, and an honest tax attorney will tell you plainly whether you need full representation, limited help, or nothing more than a second opinion. Use it to compare approaches, ask about fees, and choose the person who is candid about your matter rather than the one who promises the most.
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can promise a specific result. If a firm guarantees how your matter will end before reviewing your file, walk away.
The disappearing senior lawyer. You meet a name partner at intake, then never speak to them again while a junior runs the file unsupervised. Ask in writing who your day-to-day lawyer will be.
No verifiable track record. “We have handled thousands of cases” is marketing. Real evidence is named results, peer recognition such as Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers, and a clean record with the state bar.
Pressure to sign immediately. A reputable firm gives you the engagement letter in writing and time to read it. High-pressure intake is a sign of a volume mill, not a careful practice.
Vague fee terms. “Don't worry about the cost” is a red flag. Every legitimate firm puts the fee, what it covers, and what triggers extra charges in writing.
Most firms on this list offer a free consultation. Use it, take notes, and compare at least two firms before you sign.
No state income tax, but state taxes still bite. Texas has no personal income tax, but the comptroller enforces franchise (margin) tax and sales-and-use tax. Irving businesses can face state audits that run separately from anything federal.
Federal deadlines are unforgiving. IRS notices carry hard response deadlines for audits, appeals, and Tax Court petitions. Missing one can forfeit rights. An Irving tax lawyer makes sure the right response is filed on time.
Watch for relief mills. The DFW market is crowded with advertised “tax relief” companies. A licensed Texas attorney gives you privilege and accountability that a sales operation cannot.
Read the notice carefully and note every deadline. IRS letters state what they want and by when. Put those dates on a calendar — missing a response deadline can cost you appeal or Tax Court rights.
Gather your records. Pull the returns, notices, and financial documents connected to the issue into one place. The strength of a tax case often comes down to documentation.
Do not call the IRS alone if the stakes are high. Anything you say can be used in the matter. If there is real money or any criminal exposure, let an attorney speak for you. You are allowed to say you want to consult your own lawyer first.
Book two consultations. Most firms above offer an initial meeting. Talk to at least two before you commit, and choose the attorney who explains your options clearly and is candid about the realistic outcome.
Tell us what is going on. We'll match you with vetted Irving firms from the list above. Most respond within one business day.
A CPA is excellent for preparing returns and bookkeeping, but a tax attorney gives you attorney-client privilege and can represent you in disputes, appeals, the U.S. Tax Court, and criminal matters. For audits, collections, or anything contentious, an attorney is the safer choice; some Irving practitioners are both.
Sometimes. The offer in compromise program lets qualifying taxpayers settle for less than the full amount, but eligibility depends on your income, assets, and ability to pay. A good Irving tax attorney tells you honestly whether you qualify rather than promising a result.
Defined work is often flat-fee — an installment agreement may be a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars, and audit defense or an offer in compromise commonly runs about $2,500 to $7,500. Litigation and criminal defense are billed hourly, frequently around $300 to $600 an hour.
File before the IRS files for you. A tax attorney can help you get current, limit penalties, and negotiate a resolution for any balance. Coming forward voluntarily is almost always better than waiting for enforcement.
Yes, through a levy, but only after notices and deadlines have passed. A tax attorney can often stop or release a levy by arranging a resolution. Responding early to IRS notices is the best way to avoid enforced collection.
Texas has no personal income tax, but businesses can face franchise-tax and sales-tax audits through the state comptroller. Several Irving tax attorneys handle both federal and Texas state matters.
An audit examines whether your return is correct and is usually civil. A criminal investigation involves potential fraud or evasion and carries far higher stakes. If there is any sign of criminal exposure, hire an attorney immediately for the privilege protection.
Generally ten years from assessment, though certain events pause that clock. The rules are technical, and a tax attorney can tell you where your debt stands and whether the collection period affects your strategy.
You can, but for anything beyond a simple document request it is risky. An attorney controls the flow of information, keeps the audit within scope, and protects you from inadvertently expanding your exposure.
Compare genuine tax focus, credentials such as an LL.M. or CPA and Tax Court admission, candor about your realistic outcome, and clear fees. Meet at least two and choose the attorney who is specific about your situation rather than selling a guaranteed result.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the listings, check the bar record, and call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one how many matters like yours they have handled in Irving in the last three years. The answer tells you most of what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team