Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP
Tax disputes, IRS and Ohio controversies, and U.S. Tax Court
Free Consultation$300–$600/hr📍 Cleveland
Behind on taxes or staring at an IRS audit notice in Cleveland? A tax attorney can stop collection, negotiate what you owe, and stand in for you where a CPA cannot — in U.S. Tax Court and against IRS criminal investigators. Cleveland tax lawyers also handle disputes with the Ohio Department of Taxation, appeals to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, and municipal income tax problems, including Cleveland's 2.5% city tax collected through the Central Collection Agency (CCA). Expect $300–$600 an hour, with some matters quoted as a flat fee. The reason to call a lawyer rather than only a preparer is attorney-client privilege and the ability to fight in court — which matters the moment a tax problem turns into a lien, a levy, or an investigation.
Updated April 29, 2026
Tax disputes, IRS and Ohio controversies, and U.S. Tax Court
IRS audits, criminal tax defense, and collection problems
IRS audits, appeals, collection due process, and Tax Court petitions
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A tax attorney and a CPA do different jobs. A CPA prepares returns and handles accounting; a tax attorney represents you when there is a dispute or exposure — an audit you disagree with, unfiled returns, a big balance you cannot pay, or a hint of a criminal investigation. The lawyer's two advantages are attorney-client privilege, which a preparer does not have, and the ability to take the IRS to U.S. Tax Court. For a routine return, a CPA is fine. When the IRS is threatening to collect, a lawyer is the safer call.
Most IRS fights are about collection and audits. If you owe more than you can pay, options include an installment agreement, an offer in compromise to settle for less, currently-not-collectible status, and penalty abatement — which one fits depends on your income, assets, and the size of the debt, so be wary of anyone who promises pennies on the dollar before seeing your numbers. If the IRS sends a Notice of Deficiency, you generally have 90 days to petition the U.S. Tax Court, and missing that deadline is one of the most damaging mistakes taxpayers make.
Cleveland taxpayers also deal with state and city tax. Ohio Department of Taxation disputes can be appealed to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals, and many residents owe Cleveland's 2.5% municipal income tax collected through CCA, plus RITA in surrounding suburbs. A Cleveland tax attorney generally bills $300–$600 an hour, though some quote flat fees for a defined project like an audit response or an offer in compromise. Most offer a paid or free initial consultation to size up the problem and the realistic options.