When the IRS Knocks …
The attorneys of McCauley Law Offices use “zealous advocacy” and decades of specialized expertise to resolve clients’ tax disputes as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Few three-letter acronyms strike more fear into the hearts of mortals than IRS, short for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
If and when someone receives correspondence from the IRS, alleging tax discrepancies that could lead to civil or criminal penalties, Gregory M. McCauley Sr. offers this advice: Do not ignore the problem and hope it somehow goes away. Instead, seek the guidance of a legal professional who specializes in civil and criminal tax controversy—someone like himself and his son, Gregory M. McCauley Jr., the attorneys and partners in the Chadds Ford-based law firm of McCauley Law Offices P.C.
“Thirty years ago, someone came in with an IRS case, and there really was no one to refer them to,” says Greg Sr., who founded the firm in 1987. “I ended up handling the case and others like it. Over the years, as our casework continued to grow, we developed a process for handling those cases. We have refined that process over time, and now we handle more IRS cases than pretty much anyone.”
McCauley Law Offices has represented clients in civil and criminal tax controversy cases in every U.S. state except Alaska and Hawaii, as well as internationally. Such expertise could make all the difference for people who find themselves in a thorny situation resulting from misguided advice, bad decisions, or a financial hardship that prevented them from paying their tax debt.
“Turning to someone without specialized experience can damage your case,” Greg Sr. adds. “Ask for a penalty abatement at the wrong time and it could be denied, and you can’t request it again. We know exactly when to get the penalty abatement. Little details like that need to be considered carefully. No one would know to look at those details the way we do.”
McCauley Law Offices represents clients in a range of matters involving civil and criminal tax controversy. The majority of its cases involve an individual or business owner seeking back-tax resolution after several unfiled tax returns or someone coming in with back-tax liability. The average client owes a six-figure sum, according to Greg Sr.
“Collection cases where there are unfiled taxes could lead to criminal prosecution,” he says. “We take those cases that are headed that way and claw them back to civil. Greg Jr. has done a great job with criminal cases. An average criminal [defense] lawyer would probably come in and plead it down. We try to rip the case apart and rebuild it. We really get into the weeds.
“In terms of tax liability where people cannot afford to pay what’s owed, they come to us for guidance,” he continues. “They don’t want to have their house seized or be put in jail. We’re going to work with the IRS to come to a mutually agreeable option. We want to get a deal that’s reasonable for the IRS and the client. Then we’re going to set the client up to maintain their situation; in this business, we prefer to have one-time clients.”
Greg Jr., who joined the firm in 2015, says McCauley Law Offices has developed a reputation with IRS agents for being “zealous advocates” for their clients. When an individual retains the firm, the attorneys bring all the firm’s resources to bear; through a direct tap into the IRS transcript data systems, the firm can gain access to all the same financial data the IRS has. Combine this raft of information with intimate details gathered directly from the client, and the firm finds itself in a position of strength.
“Dealing with the IRS is all we do,” Greg Jr. says. “Because of our experience, we can see three, four, five, even 10 steps down the road, so we have a good idea of where a case is going to end up. Everyone wants a settlement, but what they really want is clarity: ‘Where is this going to go?’ When you’ve been doing something for as long and as well as we have, you just sort of know.”
Much of the firm’s business comes by way of referral from other attorneys or CPAs and tax preparers. Greg Sr. attributes this fact not only to its track record of achieving good outcomes for clients, but also to the level of service clients receive along the way.
“We treat every client like a member of the family, and we work very hard to go the extra mile for them,” says Greg Sr. “When their case is done, we want them to feel as though we gave them our best and hardest work, and gotten the best deal for them, while keeping them apprised the whole time—a fully informed client. They should always know where we are in the case, what our options are, and why we pursued the option we did. That level of service is important.”
It should come as no surprise, then, that both attorneys—Greg Sr. and Greg Jr.—have earned “top attorney” designations from publications such as Suburban Life.
In considering the impact of the firm’s work, Greg Jr. ruminates for a moment on the path not taken. For a time he considered a career in corporate and securities litigation, but he felt the pull to advocate for everyday people. Since joining the firm seven years ago, he has enjoyed getting to know clients on a personal level, calming their fears, and, in the process of brokering outcomes, earning their trust.
“If you’re going through an experience like this with the IRS, you’re constantly looking over your shoulder,” he says. “After retaining us, people often tell us they have a sense of calmness and coolness, and they feel that somebody’s there for them so they can get the first good night’s sleep they’ve had in a while.
“Having someone you can trust implicitly to look out for your best interest is invaluable,” he continues. “Because of what’s at stake, our typical client is afraid to answer the door or open the mailbox. It’s sort of our tagline, but we like to say that if the IRS comes knocking, let us answer the door for you.”
McCauley Law Offices P.C.
510 Kennett Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610) 388-4474 | (877) TAX-JAMS
www.mlotax.com
510 Kennett Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
(610) 388-4474 | (877) TAX-JAMS
www.mlotax.com
Photo by Gary Nevitt
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, July 2022.
