Tax attorneys and professionals advocate complex matters about taxes to taxpayers. They help people understand how to avoid audits and take them through the best tax minimization strategies. A good tax attorney consult can go to the extent of advising clients on their profits and income and suggest ways of reducing their financial burden.
Clients need to gauge their attorney’s expertise by looking at these six skills. Of course, everybody will want to select an attorney with a significant advantage over their competitors.
Accounting and Mathematical Skills
A tax attorney encounters a lot of mathematics and accounting terms in their career. Even though having a degree in either of the fields is not a requirement for getting this job, at least they should familiarize themselves with the basics. An attorney should know how to calculate derivatives, calculus, and statistics in Mathematics. Accounting terms like real estate, trusts, securities, mortgages, bonds, and contracts should be at their fingertips.
Problem-Solving Skills
Nobody wants to hire a tax attorney who cannot find creative and practical solutions for their tax-related issues. Therefore, having creative problem-solving skills is vital from the start of this career. Also, tax problems are more like puzzles. They require an attorney who can figure things out until they reach a solution. An attorney can lose long-term client relationships if they lack such a critical skill.
Legal and Research Skills
As mentioned earlier, tax problems are always complex. Therefore, a professional lawyer should be well-enlightened in legal matters to quickly solve complicated tax issues. They also need to be able to interpret legal issues without having to confirm from written documents. Besides that, a skilled attorney should master the skills of legal research. That is, they should be able to research quickly, note all the essential points and fulfill the required due diligence for their customers.
Analytical Skills
Before anything else, performing an analysis is the first step when finding a feasible solution to any problem. An analysis entails listening to the client’s situation and the opposition’s argument, then discussing the possible outcomes. It is crucial for a tax attorney to have strong analytical skills. It also helps when explaining complicated concepts to their clients.
Communication Skills
A client evaluates an attorney’s communication skills right from the moment they call them to book appointments. An attorney with exceptional communication skills is likely to be hired repeatedly. Considering the complex status of tax law, plus all the collaborations in between, an attorney must also have the best interpersonal skills. They should be able to present their ideas coherently.
Writing Skills
Writing has become a necessity in almost all working environments. It starts from writing messages to e-mails and letters. A tax consultant often has to create drafts on bargains, legal documents, and confidentiality agreements. Therefore, writing plays an integral role in the legal profession. The whole process involves working in a multi-party environment with large corporations and businesses. As such, an attorney needs to be concise and clear.
Based on a good number of tax attorney resumes, these skills are amongst the most indispensable requirements for a tax attorney.