Tax Representation

Curmudgeon Perspectives

The U S tax code is generally known as the most misunderstood law of the land. If you don’t believe that, ask the average guy on the street. This simple fact provides opportunity for tax help representatives to profess fix it expertise as basis to charge absurd fees.

Tax representatives pitch with crystal ball demeanor. This does not mean tax law is understood. It means the average client knows little to nothing about procedure for preparing taxes, paying taxes, vacating undue tax, and cutting a deal for tax due.

The representative need not be fully trained nor fully understanding of tax law to sell a service with crystal ball vision. A little knowledge on procedure can provide preying power on clients ultimately held accountable … preying power is absurd!

Top ten curmudgeon perspectives on representation:

1. Service product … engage an expert arborist to cut a tree down if the tree is huge, hovers over the house, and procedural cutting and roping is required. The engagement is for not only removing the tree, but saving the house. Any grunt with a chain saw can cut a tree … expecting a grunt to save the house is absurd!

2. Eagle eye vision … an expert arborist will describe various cuts with detail, discuss rotting and roping of limbs, disclose equipment required to get the job done, and disclose time required to cut and remove the tree without damaging the house. An expert unwilling or unable to disclose detail is encumbered with limited vision … calling him an “expert” is absurd!

3. Advance payment … A retainer to ensure good faith is traditional. To require and pay advance fees that exceed costs for set-up time and good faith is absurd.

4. Prepaid work … it makes no economic sense to pay for a service product not delivered. In prepaid situations, the client is vulnerable to nuance controversy over services performed and a sunk cost for non-performance. Paying in full, up-front, is absurd ... really!

5. Nuance … legalese and technical issues are inherently confusing. Representatives and clients capitalize on confusion by nuance and omission. Nuance borders on deception and omission borders on perjury. Clients are ultimately accountable for clarity not provided, not sought or absent. Tax help representatives know this … it's absurd!

6. Big Bang … to each end, there is a beginning; and in-between there are links with varying strength and weakness. Relevant factual circumstances provide strength and weakness on issues. A factual circumstance with critical relevance provides the fuse for the big bang [ultimate outcome]. Critical relevance, clearly visible in any crystal ball, can be arbitrarily overlooked or ignored … that’s absurd!

7. Tracking progress … representation without progress reporting is a free ticket to roam in the wild, destination unknown or uncertain. Status reports on each of all issues affecting the service product provides basis for evaluating progress, or the lack of it. This aspect of engagement is oversight attributable to the client and convenience attributable to representation ... that’s absurd!

8. Procedural expertise … there is lineage in procedure, step by step. Representation can go off on tangent buying time with extra steps, destination infinity. All the while, costs accumulate … that’s absurd!

9. Consultation vs representation … given the option, clients can perform well on their own with proper guidance. Consulting fees, per issue, are generally greater than fees for representation. However, some clients appreciate contributing hands-on [irs prefers to deal directly with them anyway]. Silence on the option is absurd!

10. Happy client vs happy taxpayer … a happy client is one who contributed personal time and effort, in addition to reasonable fees, “saving the house”. A happy taxpayer does not exist. Everybody knows all this … it’s absurd!

Curmudgeon perspectives are based on observation, first hand.