Tax Attorney Free Case Review vs Paid Case Review

Tax Attorney Free Case Review vs Paid Case Review

If you’re looking for a tax attorney, chances are high that you’re facing a tax bill from the IRS or Georgia Department of Revenue (GA DOR) that you can’t easily afford to pay. Therefore, it’s no surprise that you’re not thrilled about the idea of having to spend even more money to resolve your tax issue. Tax professionals understand this, and as a result, many tax professionals (especially tax lawyers) offer free case reviews.

The attraction to free case reviews is understandable, as they have several benefits. However, some major drawbacks could make a paid case review a better option for you, depending on your situation and your legal needs. In this blog, we look at the differences between paid and free case reviews and explain what to expect if you schedule a paid case review with a tax attorney.

Advantages of Free Case Reviews

The biggest advantage of a free case review is that it provides an opportunity to talk to a tax professional without having to spend money. Having this no-cost case review allows you to get some clarity as to your legal situation and figure out what kind of problem you might be dealing with. Put another way, a free case review offers you an affordable way to decide whether you need to hire a professional for your tax issue.

You may not want to spend any money on tax help until you know for sure you need to pay for this help from someone else. A free case review gives you the ability to do this.

The free case review can also be helpful if you already know you want to hire an attorney but aren’t sure who to hire. Maybe you know you need a lawyer but don’t know if you’ll need a general attorney or one who focuses on a particular area of tax law. Or perhaps you know exactly what type of tax attorney you require but want to find one who you feel you can trust and who will handle your case in a particular way.

The initial case review is a bit like a job interview or first date, giving both sides a chance to learn more about each other and determine whether an attorney-client relationship is possible and will benefit both sides.

Disadvantages of Free Case Reviews

Despite the advantages, there are some potential drawbacks to having a free case review as a client. First, like many other things in life, you often get what you pay for. All else being equal, an attorney getting paid for their time (even if it’s just 25% or 50% of their typical hourly rate) will pay more attention and offer advice versus someone giving away their time. Remember, a lawyer’s most valuable resource is their time, and it is not good to give this important commodity away for free. Higher quality attorneys will not offer their time for free because they don’t have to.

Second, because the attorney isn’t getting paid for the case review, they should not provide you with any legal advice so they do not unintentionally establish an attorney-client relationship with you. Attorneys do not want to have any legal responsibilities, such as legal malpractice, for someone who does not convert into a paying client. This means that the best practice for them in a free case review is to treat the case review as purely a sales call without any legal advice. This makes sense but can result in a “hard sell” and pushy sales tactics. In a best-case scenario, this will make you feel a bit uncomfortable and perhaps like you’re watching or reading a legal advertisement. In a worst-case scenario, the attorney might make promises they may not be able to keep simply because they don't have enough time to learn about your situation during the free case review.

Some potential warning signs of dodgy sales tactics during a free case review include the attorney or the tax firm's sales rep doing the following:

• Referencing the names of tax programs, terms, and/or policies that don’t exist.
• Overpromising on the results they can achieve, such as saying they can always eliminate tax debt for pennies on the dollar.
• Trying to dissuade you from getting a second opinion or taking some time to decide as to whether to hire them.
• Not providing a clear answer when asked about how much they charge for their services.
• Telling you something that directly conflicts with a promise made on their website or promotional materials.

How Paid Case Reviews Differ from Free Case Reviews

Yes, the primary difference is that one is free, and the other isn’t. That being said, there are other differences, but most of these can be summarized by the fact that you’ll simply get better advice on what your legal options are, which options might be best for you to achieve your goals, and what you need to do to achieve those goals. You get better advice in a paid case review because you are already a client of the firm, even if the case review is limited in scope. Since you are a paying client of the firm, the attorney can give you direct legal advice.

The most prominent form of better advice is getting more in-depth information. Instead of the attorney mentioning a particular tax solution in a free case review, they’ll bring it up and go into detail as to how it could work in your situation. Or if you ask a question, instead of getting a 20-word answer, you’ll get one that takes 3 minutes to explain. Then there’s the fact that the attorney is more likely to ask you follow-up questions so they can give a more complete answer to your question.

Because you’re getting more in-depth information, you’re also more likely to get a longer case review. When the case review is free, the attorney is far more likely to keep the case review short and end it after a certain amount of time has passed, such as 5 to 10 minutes. An attorney having a paid case review is not going to do this because you have paid for a set period of time, such as 30 minutes or an hour. This doesn’t mean you can have a paid case review that lasts hours, but they’re far more likely not to rush you to end the case review and be more willing to take more time to answer your questions, even if the case review goes 10 to 15 minutes longer than scheduled for.

During the paid case review, the attorney may realize that this is a matter you could handle yourself. It’s also possible that they understand you’ll need an attorney but think you’re better off with someone else. This latter situation may occur if the attorney doesn’t feel like you two will be a good fit, perhaps due to misaligned expectations or you can’t afford their services. In any of these scenarios, the attorney in a paid case review is more likely to help guide you through on your next steps.

These benefits stem from the fact that you’re paying for the attorney’s time, and they can safely provide you with legal advice without any issues. But it’s not just the fact that they’re getting compensation for meeting with you. The fact that you’re willing to pay money to talk to them means you’re serious about the possibility of hiring an attorney. Because you’re more likely to be a client, it’s less likely they’ll use overly aggressive sales tactics or decide to give you the minimum when answering your questions and addressing your concerns.

How to Prepare for a Paid Case Review

If you’ve decided to set up a paid case review, you should properly prepare for it. Not only do you want to make the most of the money and time you’re spending on the case review, but the attorney you speak with will appreciate it. The more information you can provide them, the better their advice can be. So, how do you prepare for the case review?

The first thing you can do is get all the information you can about your situation. If you’re dealing with a tax debt, it helps to have copies of the letters or notices you’ve received from the IRS or GA DOR. If you have a problem with employment taxes, bringing payroll documents and records is a good idea.

Next, write out any questions and concerns you have. You don’t want to leave a question unanswered because you forgot to ask it or got sidetracked talking about another legal issue during the case review. Taking these steps to prepare not only helps you accomplish more during the case review, but the attorney will recognize your work and be more likely to conclude you’re a client they want to work with.

The legal-related questions will depend on your specific problem, but there are general questions you can ask to see if the attorney will be a good fit for you. Some of these questions include:

• How much do you charge, and what’s your billing arrangement?
• Will you or someone else be the one to handle my case?
• How much experience do you have handling my particular tax issue?
• How long have you practiced tax law?
• Are there any limitations to your representation, such as not handling certain tax matters or issues?
• How will you keep me updated about my case?
• How long will it take to resolve my tax issue?
• What are the possible outcomes for my case?

How Much Paid Case Reviews Cost and How to Pay for Them

Every attorney is different, so they can set up paid case reviews in various ways. Many lawyers charge a flat rate for the case review, whether it lasts 30 minutes or an hour. This rate will also vary among lawyers, with some asking for their full hourly rate while others asking for a percentage, such as 50%.

If they normally charge $400 an hour, they may charge $200 for the case review. Some attorneys charge a symbolic fee, such as $50. This is less about paying the attorney for their time and more about the attorney weeding out those who aren’t serious about hiring them.

While rare, the attorney might charge for the exact amount of time for the case review and multiply that time by a set rate, such as their normal billable rate.

When it comes to how you pay for the case review, there are two ways most tax lawyers handle things. First, you pay for the case review as a separate bill, whether or not you hire them as your attorney. Second, you only pay for the case review as a separate bill if you don’t hire the attorney. But if you hire them, the attorney gives you a credit on your first bill equal to the cost of your case review.

Thinking About Hiring a Tax Attorney?

Both paid and free tax attorney case reviews can help you decide if and when hiring a tax attorney is necessary. However, free tax attorney case reviews have their limitations, namely more intense sales tactics and less detailed tax advice. Going with a paid case review makes the oversell less likely and improves the quality of the legal guidance you receive.

At Wiggam Law, we have multiple case review options. We offer free case reviews with our Client Services Coordinators. Our Client Service Coordinators are individuals who understand the types of cases we handle, the work we do for clients, and the benefits we provide. They cannot provide legal advice, but they can tell you whether we can help with your problem and help you determine if our firm is the best fit for you. We also offer paid case reviews with our attorneys, who can provide you with more detailed answers to your questions and provide legal advice. Attorney case reviews cost $250 for 30 minutes or $500 for an hour. Almost all of our case reviews are for 30 minutes and are conducted over the phone or on video call. We do credit the case review fee to your first bill if you become a client, but we offer a money-back guarantee if you do not obtain any value from the case review.

If you want to find out more about how a tax lawyer can help, contact Wiggam Law. Call us at (404) 233-9800 or fill out our online case review form to schedule a meeting with one of our tax attorneys today to find out more about our tax solutions.