I appreciate the difficult task you have in choosing a professional to prepare your tax returns or to represent you in a Federal or State audit or collection action.  To earn your trust and confidence, I would like to share with you my background and experience that address my Tax Resolution Specialist qualifications.

Following graduation from Occidental College in California, I accepted a position with the Internal Revenue Service as a Revenue Officer.  In that position, I was responsible for working with individuals, partnerships and corporations to bring them into compliance with their filing and payment requirements. I remained in that position for five years, and then accepted a position in the Examination Division as a Revenue Agent.

As a Revenue Agent, I was responsible for auditing almost every type of Federal tax return. I examined a broad range of taxpayers, including participation on coordinated teams of Revenue Agents examining some of the largest corporations in the United States. 

After a little over six years of auditing and teaching of tax law at the IRS Training Center to new and seasoned Revenue Agents, I accepted the position of Field Examination Group Manager.  I supervised groups of Revenue Agents in the West Los Angeles Office and in the former Hollywood Office. 

Following that position, I competed for and was promoted to the position of Associate Chief of the Los Angeles Appeals Office.   I remained in that position until my retirement, earning distinguished and outstanding performance awards for almost every year I was in Appeals.   In fact, in 1998 as recognition of my outstanding managerial and program accomplishments in the Appeals Division, I was honored to receive the distinguished National Appeals Manager of the Year award.

As the Associate Chief, I managed Appeals Officers who negotiated with taxpayers and/or their CPA's, Enrolled Agents or Attorneys to formulate a settlement proposal for resolution of their tax controversy with the Examination Division or the Collection Division.  My Appeals Officers presented me with their proposed settlement or litigation recommendation for my review and approval. 

As part of my review process, I evaluated the evidence (written and oral) that would be admissible in court and either contained in the administrative file, or that would most likely be available and presented at trial.  I then had to apply the appropriate legal statutes and case precedence.   In making my final decision, I had to consider the relative litigation hazards facing both the IRS and the taxpayer.

As you would imagine, this position required me to be well versed in the rules of evidence, Federal tax law and Internal Revenue Service regulations and procedures.  I excelled in this position with annual awards, including (as mentioned above), the distinguished National Appeals Manager of the Year award presented to me in 1998.   I retired in 2000 after 34 years of distinguished service with the Internal Revenue Service.

Since retirement, my objective has been to use my over three-decades of experience with the Internal Revenue Service to assist taxpayers who need help with return preparation or tax controversy resolution before the Federal or State tax agencies.   My extensive and very successful career with the Internal Revenue Service gives me the background and expertise to effectively negotiate a resolution of your tax controversy with the IRS (and the State tax agencies as well).

The quality and quantity of experience I gained while working for the IRS in three Divisions, and in technical and managerial positions in each, cannot be learned in any educational facility or gained from experience outside of the Internal Revenue Service.  As an Enrolled Agent licensed by the Internal Revenue Service, I am experienced and qualified to represent you in the resolution of your tax controversy all of the way through the administrative appeals process.  

To maintain my tax law expertise, I am a member of the National Associate of Enrolled Agents and the California Society of Enrolled Agents, and complete more than the minimum hours of required annual continuing professional education.  As further evidence of my qualifications, in April, 2004, I as invited to and made a presentation before a Southern California Chapter the California Society of Enrolled Agents on the IRS Appeals process.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions regarding my background or other qualifications.  For most of the tax controversy resolution and other services I offer, I can effectively serve my clients who live and work anywhere in the United States, thanks to today's technology.

If you have been contacted for an audit or collection action and wish to discuss your general options, I am available for an initial free consultation over the telephone.   Please click on the consultation link or here for more information.   For specific recommendations pertinent to your tax controversy, normal consultation rates apply, unless you retain me for the resolution of your case.

Dick Norton , EA
Tax Resolution Specialist