Low-cost representation of taxpayers with controversies before the U.S. Tax Court

TLI Litigation Services
1717 N St. NW
Washington DC
202-800-9230

TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230
  • Services
  • Practice Areas
  • Settlements & Trials
  • Civil Tax Fraud Defense
  • More
    • Services
    • Practice Areas
    • Settlements & Trials
    • Civil Tax Fraud Defense

TLI Litigation Services
1717 N St. NW
Washington DC
202-800-9230

TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230TLI Litigation Services 1717 N St. NW Washington DC 202-800-9230
  • Services
  • Practice Areas
  • Settlements & Trials
  • Civil Tax Fraud Defense

Members of the Bar U.S. Tax Court

Members of the Bar U.S. Tax CourtMembers of the Bar U.S. Tax CourtMembers of the Bar U.S. Tax Court
Richard Cunha Tax Attorney
Jeffrey Thompson USTCP EA

Members of the Bar U.S. Tax Court

Members of the Bar U.S. Tax CourtMembers of the Bar U.S. Tax CourtMembers of the Bar U.S. Tax Court
Richard Cunha Tax Attorney
Jeffrey Thompson USTCP EA

TAX ATTORNEYS & UNITED STATES TAX COURT PRACTITIONERS | TAX LAW INSTITUTE

OUR COMMITMENT

No one wants to litigate in U.S. Tax Court ... it is too costly ... too expensive. So, if you've received a tax deficiency notice, we'll advocate in your behalf before the IRS Independent Office of Appeals to reduce what you owe, and we'll do so for a low flat fee. Then we'll negotiate with IRS Counsel and try to settle. If unsuccessful, then we'll represent you or your business in U.S. Tax Court, where we will seek an out-of-courtroom settlement, or we'll prosecute the IRS and go to trial for a low flat fee. No billable hours. No additional costs. And, we have a track-record of 'win-win, no losses' before the IRS and in U.S. Tax Court.

  • We know that deficiency litigation can sometimes be overwhelming. 


  • We are dedicated to providing you help when you receive an IRS notice of deficiency. If you don't feel like you understand your options, just ask, and we will work to find a resolution that quickly settles the matter with the IRS. We'll do our best to negotiate a settlement with the IRS independent office of Appeals. You wouldn't need to appear. 


  • And, if the Appeals' officer is unmoved and litigation is our only option then we'll explain all the steps and outline all the costs before we make any recommendations for you to proceed. All the while trying to keep the door open for a behind-the-scenes settlement.

A Focus on Results

  • The first step is for us to work with you and come up with a plan to get the results you need. Through our understanding of the Internal Revenue Code of the U.S. Treasury Department and your understanding of the circumstances, We will craft a path to successful negotiations and settlement - please know that litigation will be avoided at all cost.  


  • We will engage every indulgence to encourage cooperative service during our interactions with IRS representatives and the Office of Chief Counsel. 


  • We are especially sensitive to the number of billing hours that tax practitioners can accrue as well as the ever-mounting expenses that can build during the evidentiary collection and research evaluation, negotiations, settlement-attempts, and sometimes, the inevitable pre-trial and litigation processes. For these reasons, we propose a low-cost flat-fee so the client can budget payment before services are rendered.


  • We will explain in detail our strategy, listen to your assessments, accept your doubts and try our best to assuage your concerns and  then await your informed consent before we proceed. If you come to us with private counsel then we will listen to their opinions as well. But at the end of the day, we must be sure that you are comfortable with us being in charge. After all, practice in the U.S. Tax Court occurs within our legal domain. 

Step One | Consultation

Contact us for a no-fee phone consultation with our Tax Attorneys, CPAs, IRS Enrolled Agents and United States Tax Court Practitioners. Meet the team...  let us help you figure out what your best next steps are. The sooner you have a plan of action, the better your chances of taking the correct steps to get the results you want from the IRS and United States Tax Court, and possibly avoid litigation all together. Continue reading to learn about the procedural steps we must take to remedy your tax liabilities


Below is the 3-step procedural process in U.S. Tax Court.. 

United States Tax Court Defined

 United States Tax Court


The United States Tax Court has its headquarters at Washington DC in the United States. It  is a specialty court that exclusively hears tax law cases. The U.S. Tax Court hears tax deficiency cases - cases in which the IRS asserts that the taxpayer has underpaid his, her or their tax liability. Prepayment of the proposed tax deficiency is not a prerequisite to litigating in Tax Court. Counsel must know the IRC, and rules of practice and procedure, disclosure rules, and the FRE as applied by the Court. 




Pictured is a United States Tax Courtroom, and above, is the United States Tax Court Building at Washington D.C.

Practice & Procedural Steps

PETITIONS

HEARINGS & TRIALS

DOCKETED APPEALS

  • If you've received a '30-day/150-day letter' it means that the IRS has made a determination that you have a tax deficiency and owe back taxes. 
  • If you contact us immediately after you've received the letter then we can advise you as to what to do. Remember, because you are living outside the U.S. you have fewer than 150 days to respond. The clock starts on the date the 150-day notice is mailed by the IRS. 
  • If you can document how and why you believe the determination is unjust then we may be able to challenge the deficiency determination in the U.S. Tax Court.
  • But first you must provide us with authorization to represent you (POA) and we will provide you with a retainer agreement that will include an estimate of our fees. 
  • Afterwards, we will prepare and file the petition with the Court clerk. We will represent you when your case is sent to docketed appeals (IRS). We will attempt to reach a settlement with the appeals' officer at the hearing that will follow. 

DOCKETED APPEALS

HEARINGS & TRIALS

DOCKETED APPEALS

  • We collect from you all documents that are relevant to your case and that are cited in the notice of (tax) deficiency. Then we conduct our research, evaluate what we discover and transmit the supportive findings that we deem to be evidentiary to the Appeals' attorney who gets assigned to your case. 
  • We will represent you at the impending hearing before the IRS independent Office of Appeals, where we will attempt to settle your case with the assigned officer. The hearing is your last opportunity to resolve the tax controversy without litigation so it is best if it is attended only by us, your legal representatives. You will be well-briefed afterwards. 
  • If we are unable to reach a settlement, your case will be sent back to the Tax Court. We will then consider the feasibility of proceeding to trial in and before the U.S. Tax Court - all the while, we will continue to seek any opportunity to reach a pre-trial settlement with the U.S. government attorneys at any point thereafter. 

HEARINGS & TRIALS

HEARINGS & TRIALS

HEARINGS & TRIALS

  • No one wants to litigate. It is expensive and time-consuming and will require you to be present in the United States. However, we will represent you in and before the U.S. Tax Court and argue your tax matter, if we deem the facts of your case to be properly documented and warrant a trial. 
  • But we will try, right up to day of trial, as well as during the trial, to reach a settlement. Nevertheless, we will not shy away from a trial if the IRS counsel is unmoved. 
  • Supervised by our Tax Litigation Counsel, our team of United States Tax Court Practitioners, CPAs and IRS enrolled agents and specialist in forensic tax accounting, fraud defense and auditing  - all experienced federally-authorized tax practitioners with various expertise, will work diligently to organize the facts of your case and get you ready (to give witness testimony) for your proceedings. We will prepare all trial documents, decide on the best evidence, and aggressively prosecute your case.


 The Tax Law Institute at Washington, DC

Litigation Services Group

1717 N Street NW Washington, DC 20036

+1 (202) 800-9230


"Dedicated to advancing public education and the public interest before the IRS and U.S. Tax Court"


Copyright © 2001-2026 Tax Law Institute Inc.- United States Tax Court Practitioners & Tax Attorneys. We provide Legal Education of Federally-Authorized Tax Practitioners, Pro Bono Legal Services and Federal Tax Litigation Services as a public service - All Rights Reserved. The Tax Law Institute is an IRS Approved Provider of Continuing Education (CE), RS7E4, in Federal Tax Law and Tax Bar and Trial Preparation. TLI is approved to prepare federally-authorized tax professionals, who may claim the federally authorized tax practitioner privilege. Under the law, the term 'federally authorized tax practitioner' (FATP)  means an individual authorized under Federal law to practice before the Internal Revenue Service where the practice is subject to Federal regulation under 31 U.S.C. § 330. The Tax Law Institute has entered into an agreement with the Internal Revenue Service, to meet the requirements of 31 C.F.R., § 10.6(g), covering maintenance of attendance records, retention of program outlines, qualifications of instructors, and length of class hours. This agreement does not constitute an endorsement by the IRS as to the quality of the program or its contribution to the professional competence of the enrolled individual.  Send mail to - Registered Agents Inc. for the Tax Law Institute Inc. - 1717 N Street, N.W., Ste. 1, Washington, D.C. 20036. Telephone +1.202.403.0599. 

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Docketed Appeals

If you do receive a notice of deficiency from the IRS for back taxes, it would be prudent to let us petition the U.S. Tax Court on your behalf and then wait for the case to be sent back to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, where we can possibly settle for less money and avoid any litigation and the need for you to travel to present your case.