Washington DC Tax Attorney | Tax Controversies Lawyer

Attorney John Pontius

Washington DC Tax Attorney

There is no question that tax law in the United States is complex. Even if you do your best to follow all reporting and filing rules, you might still find yourself in the middle of a tax controversy. In addition to any back taxes that you might owe, you could incur a number of penalties from the IRS, even when you do everything correctly in order to come into compliance. The good news is that you possess the right to take on these challenges with the assistance of a Washington DC tax attorney from Pontius Tax Law.

John Pontius specializes in resolving tax controversies for individuals, couples, and businesses in the DMV region and around the world. Whether you need help in determining the best way to disclose offshore financial accounts, analyzing the risk of criminal exposure for tax fraud, or coming up with a reasonable plan of paying the IRS, Pontius Tax Law is your dedicated partner in identifying the best path forward.

Learn More

The Advocacy of a DC Tax Law Firm

There are numerous tax controversies that could arise between a taxpayer and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These disputes can range from nonpayment of a tax, to a disagreement over the actual amount that is owed. When civil penalties are at risk, it is important to know what must be done to resolve the controversy and prevent the case from evolving into a criminal matter. This is where the advocacy of a Washington DC tax lawyer is most beneficial. By performing a cost/benefit analysis, Pontius Tax Law can ensure that everything they recommend to a taxpayer will put them in better standing with the IRS. The bigger the amount that is at issue, the more value they can provide.

Our Focus

Types of Tax Controversies

Our law firm has experience in multiple areas of tax law. While working on a larger issue such as offshore disclosures or tax evasion, we could also assist someone with other disputes that are affecting their standing with the IRS, such as penalty abatement or setting up an alternative payment plan. Check out our practice areas below to learn all of the ways that a DC tax attorney could be of service.

IRS Audit and Appeals

The question of what amount of tax that a person or company needs to submit to the government is central to any successful financial plan. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has broad powers to pursue parties for underpayment or a failure to pay entirely.

IRS Collections

If the IRS is trying to collect on owed taxes, you could speak with legal counsel about setting up a specific payment plan that addresses your needs in a fair and reasonable way.

IRS Penalty Abatement

The IRS has many civil penalties to encourage voluntary tax compliance of taxpayers. Additionally, the IRS charges interest of approximately 3-4% on the tax balance due. The Maryland Comptroller charges interest of approximately 11%-13%.

Lien Resolution

If you are struggling with the payment of a debt, consider hiring a Washington DC IRS lien resolution lawyer. A lien is a security interest over property to secure the payment of a debt. For example, in the case of a home mortgage, the bank files a mortgage lien on the property until the mortgage is fully paid.

Offshore Disclosure

The US is one of the few countries that imposes tax on the worldwide income of its residents. US residents are required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Account (FBARs) if the aggregate account balance of the accounts exceed $10,000.

State and Local Tax

Every state has a separate legal system for assessing and collecting tax. With fewer resources in comparison to the IRS as well as less formal procedures, state tax departments can be much more complicated to navigate

Tax Fraud & Evasion

Fraud comes in many forms. At its core, fraud is any attempt to deceive another party for a financial purpose. One common version of fraud is a failure to pay one’s taxes.

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

Employers are required to withhold Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, and income tax from employee wages. These are typically called withholding taxes or trust fund taxes because these funds always belonged to the IRS and were held by the employer in trust.

Tax Levy

The IRS is widely recognized as a very aggressive and powerful creditor. The Internal Revenue Code grants the IRS the authority to levy to collect delinquent taxes. A tax levy is the forced collection or seizure of any property or right to property that belongs to the taxpayer.

U.S. Tax Court Litigation

The proper payment of taxes is central to the financial health of individuals and businesses. State, federal, and local governments will use any means necessary to obtain the money that they are owed.

Tax Planning

Navigating the US tax laws can be a daunting challenge. Let Pontius Tax Law, PLLC be your guide. We are experienced with complex federal, state and international reporting laws. We advise on the tax compliance for businesses and individuals. We frequently work with our clients’ accountants on technical issues.

Unfiled Tax Returns

Taxpayers fall out of tax filing compliance for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they are going through a difficult period of life and lack the time, energy or resources to file their tax returns. Other taxpayers do not file tax returns because they cannot afford to pay their taxes.

FATCA

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act—or FATCA—is a federal law that mandates foreign financial institutions and other entities to report American-owned assets overseas to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). FATCA primarily targets compliance from foreign financial institutions but there are also individual requirements that an experienced tax attorney could advise you on.

FBAR

Each year, American taxpayers are required to report certain assets that they hold overseas to the United States Department of the Treasury through Form 114. These reports—known as Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)—are mandatory for individuals who hold a certain amount of financial assets overseas in any given year.

FIRPTA

The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act—or FIRPTA—is a federal law that applies federal income tax liability on foreign investors when they sell real property located in the U.S. These laws are complex and compliance is not always easy to achieve without the help of a dedicated tax lawyer.

Learn More

Call a Washington DC Tax Lawyer Right Away

If you have concerns about how a tax controversy will affect your finances and standing with the IRS, now is the time to seek out legal counsel. By relying on the advice of a Washington DC tax attorney, you could resolve your outstanding tax debt or get all of your filing obligations squared away so as to avoid a more precarious legal situation. Contact a tax lawyer from Pontius Tax Law and schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

Attorney John Pontius

Pontius Tax Law, PLLC is a tax law firm that strives to resolve sensitive tax problems through trust, dedication and value. The law firm was founded by John Pontius with offices in Washington, DC, Rockville, MD, Bethesda, MD, Vienna, VA, and Alexandria, VA. Mr. Pontius represents individual and business clients with sensitive and serious tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities. His client base is local, national, and international.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Pontius has represented businesses and individuals with complex tax issues in the following areas: FBAR examinations, offshore and domestic disclosures, FATCA, FIRPTA, tax planning, unfiled tax returns, release of tax liens and levies, trust fund recovery penalty, IRS and state audit examinations, as well as appeals, penalty abatement, U.S. Tax Court litigation, along with defense of tax fraud and evasion. If you require assistance from a tax lawyer, contact Mr. Pontius to discuss your situation.

Call Us Today!

(202) 756-1125

Testimonials

Client Reviews

John helped us with a DC tax audit and succeeded in getting us a "no change" final decision. The issues were related to two flow-through entities and the use of carry-forward operating losses -- something that the DC auditors struggled to understand and with which they did not have any...

Paul A

Mr. Pontius is extremely professional and was able to take care of my tax returns which includes international bank accounts quickly and at a very reasonable price. Would definitely recommend.

Karl

I received a fee this past November from the IRS for over $800 because of an error I made on my 2016 taxes. I called my cousin, John Pontius, and he immediately knew what steps needed to be taken. Thanks to him, the fee was cleared. A 10 minute conversation...

A.K.

As an American citizen living in the Middle East my local banker informed me that I needed to file FBARs and report my worldwide income to the IRS. Through the recommendation of another attorney at an international law firm, I was introduced to John Pontius. Mr. Pontius efficiently and effectively...

Kareem S

John handled a difficult IRS lien for my client. He was excellent in getting the lien released so we could close on the property. I would highly recommend John .

Bobbie M

We were seeking tax advice with managing two properties, LLC, as well as some future financial planning. John responded to my call in a timely manner and was happy to answer our questions while referring us to specialists who can manage our accounts on a more regular basis.

Janelle M

View All

Get in Touch With Us

If you have a question for a tax lawyer, send us a message with your concerns, and we will respond as soon as possible.