Tax Attorney Tampa, FL​
J. David Tax Law's Tampa tax lawyers resolve IRS and Florida Department of Revenue (FL DOR) tax debt for individuals and businesses across Hillsborough County and Tampa Bay. The firm releases wage garnishments, removes tax levies, resolves liens, represents clients in sales and use tax audits, and negotiates settlements such as offers in compromise.
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IRS & Florida Tax Relief Services in Tampa, FL
Award-Winning Tampa, FL Tax Lawyers
J. David Tax Law provides tax relief services in Tampa for IRS and Florida Department of Revenue tax debt. Our Tampa tax lawyers represent individuals and businesses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, and Sarasota before the IRS and the FL DOR. Cases range from unfiled returns and sales tax audits to levies and wage garnishments. Tax problems do not always stay tied to one county: if a Tampa Bay matter involves Miami records, state agency contact, or South Florida business activity, our Miami tax attorneys coordinate the case while keeping one IRS or FL DOR resolution strategy.
J. David Tax Law’s ratings are verifiable at the source: the Avvo Clients’ Choice Award 2025, the AV Preeminent 2026 peer-review rating held by firm founder Jonathan Sooriash, and an A+ rating with accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Each rating links to its profile.
The firm prioritizes hands-on, attorney-driven tax defense. From penalty relief to installment agreements and offers in compromise, our attorneys negotiate directly with the IRS and the FL DOR to reduce or eliminate tax debt and penalties for taxpayers across Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, and the greater Tampa Bay area. Call (813) 605-1615 for a free consultation with a Tampa tax lawyer.
Why Taxpayers Trust Our Tampa Tax Attorneys
Over $800 Million Saved for Taxpayers
Our tax law firm has saved taxpayers more than $800 million through audits, back taxes, negotiations, settlements, and tax litigation. Our Tampa tax attorneys defend clients against the IRS and the Florida Department of Revenue alike, releasing wage garnishments and levies, recovering seized assets, and resolving FL DOR sales and use tax assessments. From our office at 2202 N Westshore Blvd, we represent individuals and businesses across Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, and Tampa Bay. The Tampa office holds a 5.0 Google rating across more than 60 reviews. Four of those services follow: IRS levy and seizure prevention, asset seizure recovery, tax audit defense, and the Offer in Compromise.
IRS Levy and Seizure Prevention
An IRS levy takes wages, bank balances, or property after a Final Notice of Intent to Levy (Letter 1058 or LT11) and 30 days without a Collection Due Process hearing request. J. David Tax Law’s Tampa tax attorneys prevent the levy inside that window by requesting the hearing, filing Form 2848, and moving the balance into an installment agreement, an Offer in Compromise, or Currently Not Collectible status. While one of those resolutions is active, the IRS does not levy. For a wage levy already served on an employer (Form 668-W), our attorneys obtain the release (Form 668-D).
IRS Asset Seizure Recovery
An IRS asset seizure takes real estate, bank and investment accounts, personal property, or vehicles to satisfy an unpaid tax assessment, after a Final Notice of Intent to Levy and the 30-day window to request a Collection Due Process hearing. J. David Tax Law’s Tampa tax attorneys negotiate the release and recovery of seized assets with the IRS collection unit that issued the seizure. In cases involving Florida revocable or irrevocable trusts, our attorneys review the trust structure and object to the inclusion of protected trust assets.
Tax Audit Defense
Tax audit defense means a licensed attorney answers the audit for you. IRS Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, authorizes your attorney to receive and inspect your tax information and to act for you before the IRS. J. David Tax Law’s Tampa tax attorneys represent individuals and businesses in correspondence, office, and field audits by the IRS, and in Florida Department of Revenue sales and use tax audits, where Florida Form DR-835 serves as the power of attorney. After the audit report, our attorneys present settlement offers, arrange payment plans, and file appeals within the 30-day window the IRS letter opens.
Offer in Compromise
An Offer in Compromise (OIC) settles a tax debt for less than the full amount owed when the IRS accepts that the taxpayer cannot pay in full. The IRS decides each offer on reasonable collection potential (RCP), which is equity in assets plus future disposable income, so J. David Tax Law’s Tampa tax attorneys calculate RCP from your financial record before filing Form 656 and Form 433-A (OIC). Florida tax debt has a separate path: the Florida Department of Revenue compromises tax, penalty, and interest under Florida Statutes 213.21.
J. David Tax Law provides 19 tax relief services in five practice areas: tax debt solutions, IRS enforcement actions, IRS disputes and audits, specialized tax services, and tax filing and compliance. Each service addresses a specific IRS or Florida tax issue, from unpaid taxes and unfiled returns to sales tax audits and payroll tax penalties.
Offer In Compromise
Fresh Start Program
Currently Not Collectible
Penalty & Interest Relief
First Time Penalty Abatement
IRS Payment Plan
IRS Appeals
IRS Asset Seizure
IRS Debt Negotiation
Tax Levy
Tax Lien
Resolve liens before they damage your credit or financial standing.
Wage Garnishment
Tax Audit
Facing an audit? Our team will represent you and guide through the process.
IRS Criminal Investigations
Protect yourself during an IRS Criminal Investigation with our experienced legal support.
Innocent Spouse Relief
IRS Passport Revocation Or Denial
Tax Litigation
Unpaid Taxes
Payroll Tax (940 & 941 Payroll Tax)
Independently Rated Tampa Tax Attorneys
Client Stories: Four Tax Debt Cases Resolved
Four Steps From First Call to Resolution
How Our Tax Resolution Process Works
J. David Tax Law resolves tax debt in four steps: free consultation, investigation, resolution, and freedom. The same process runs whether your case is with the IRS, the Florida Department of Revenue, or both. Every step is handled by a tax attorney, and the full process is documented on our tax resolution process page.
Free Consultation
A free consultation with a Tampa tax attorney opens every case: a no-cost, no-obligation review of your IRS or FL DOR notices, balances, and filing history to identify the resolution options your case supports.
Investigation
Once IRS Form 2848 is on file, our Tampa tax attorneys pull your IRS account transcripts and FL DOR records, analyze each balance, penalty, and deadline, and develop a legal plan to stop collections, reduce penalties, and protect your assets.
Resolution
Our tax attorneys negotiate directly with the IRS and the FL DOR to secure an Offer in Compromise, penalty abatement, Currently Not Collectible status, or an installment agreement, whichever resolution your financials support.
Freedom
Freedom means the resolution stays in force: an accepted Offer in Compromise requires five years of on-time filing and payment, and an installment agreement holds as long as payments and new returns stay current. Our attorneys set that compliance plan before the case closes.
Free Consultation
A free consultation with a Tampa tax attorney opens every case: a no-cost, no-obligation review of your IRS or FL DOR notices, balances, and filing history to identify the resolution options your case supports.
Investigation
Once IRS Form 2848 is on file, our Tampa tax attorneys pull your IRS account transcripts and FL DOR records, analyze each balance, penalty, and deadline, and develop a legal plan to stop collections, reduce penalties, and protect your assets.
Resolution
Our tax attorneys negotiate directly with the IRS and the FL DOR to secure an Offer in Compromise, penalty abatement, Currently Not Collectible status, or an installment agreement, whichever resolution your financials support.
Freedom
Freedom means the resolution stays in force: an accepted Offer in Compromise requires five years of on-time filing and payment, and an installment agreement holds as long as payments and new returns stay current. Our attorneys set that compliance plan before the case closes.
What Happens When Tax Debt Goes Unresolved in Florida?
From Passport Revocation to Lost Contracts: Four Consequences
Unresolved tax debt compounds every month: the IRS failure-to-pay penalty runs at 0.5% of the unpaid tax per month, up to 25%, with interest compounding daily on both the tax and the penalties. Past the balance itself, four consequences follow for Tampa taxpayers: passport revocation or denial, IRS liens, levies, and summonses, loss of a Florida sales tax registration, and disqualification from government contracts and business loans. When these aggressive collection actions occur, our legal team intervenes swiftly, often focusing on releasing a tax levy to restore your access to critical financial resources.
Federal return information is confidential under IRC 6103, so the IRS does not notify Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) of a tax debt; the exposure for licensed professionals runs through the Florida Department of Revenue and through public records instead. A Florida tax warrant is recorded with the clerk of court in the county where the taxpayer owns property, a Notice of Federal Tax Lien is a public record, and both surface in the searches that lenders, surety companies, and bonding underwriters run for contractors across Tampa Bay.
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Passport Revocation or Denial
The IRS certifies seriously delinquent tax debt to the State Department under Internal Revenue Code section 7345, and the State Department then denies new passports and renewals and revokes current passports at its discretion. Certification arrives as IRS Notice CP508C, and the IRS reverses it within 30 days once the debt is paid, placed in an installment agreement, or covered by an accepted Offer in Compromise. Our Tampa tax attorneys file the resolution that triggers decertification and handle IRS passport revocation or denial cases from the first notice.
IRS Liens, Levies, and Summonses
Unpaid federal tax escalates in a fixed sequence: the IRS generally files a Notice of Federal Tax Lien once the balance reaches $10,000, issues a Final Notice of Intent to Levy with 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing, and then levies wages, bank accounts, and receivables. During an examination or collection investigation, an IRS summons under Internal Revenue Code section 7602 compels records or testimony. Every step carries a deadline, and each missed deadline forfeits an appeal right.
Loss of Florida Sales Tax Registration
The license at risk in Florida is the sales tax certificate of registration. Under section 212.18(3)(f), Florida Statutes, the Department of Revenue may revoke it when a dealer fails to comply with chapter 212, which includes failing to file returns or failing to remit collected sales tax. Before revoking, the Department must mail written notice of its intended action and of the time, place, and date of a scheduled informal conference, where the dealer may present evidence or enter into a compliance agreement. A business cannot lawfully make taxable sales without the certificate. Retailers, restaurants, and contractors across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties carry this exposure first, and our attorneys respond to the revocation notice, bring the returns current, and negotiate the balance with the FL DOR.
Government Contracts and Business Loans
Federal contractors bidding on larger solicitations must certify whether they have been notified, within the three years before the offer, of delinquent federal taxes above the Federal Acquisition Regulation's threshold that remain unpaid. A balance in a timely installment agreement does not count as delinquent, and a "have" answer is weighed in the contracting officer's responsibility determination rather than barring the award outright. SBA and bank lenders pull IRS transcripts through Form 4506-C before funding, and a recorded Florida tax warrant or federal tax lien stalls the loan until the balance is resolved or placed in an agreement.
Who Collects Tax Debt in Tampa, FL?
Tampa Tax Attorneys for Federal, State, and County Tax Debt
Tampa taxpayers answer to three tax authorities: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for federal income, payroll, and self-employment tax; the Florida Department of Revenue (FL DOR) for sales and use tax, reemployment tax, and corporate income tax; and the Hillsborough County Tax Collector for the county’s local business tax and tangible personal property tax. Each authority operates under its own statutes, deadlines, and collection procedures: the IRS has 10 years from assessment to collect, and a Florida tax warrant, once recorded with the clerk of court, is a lien on the taxpayer’s real and personal property in that county. J. David Tax Law represents taxpayers before the IRS in all 50 states and before Florida’s tax agencies through attorneys licensed in Florida.
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Federal and Florida cases run on separate clocks and often at the same time: an IRS audit adjustment flows into a Florida corporate income tax assessment, because Florida Statutes 220.23 requires federal changes to be reported to the FL DOR, and a sales tax audit by the FL DOR can trigger an IRS examination of the same records. Disputed federal assessments are litigated in the U.S. Tax Court, which holds trial sessions in Tampa; disputed Florida assessments go through the FL DOR’s informal protest and then either the Division of Administrative Hearings or circuit court under Florida Statutes 72.011. Our attorneys run both tracks under one resolution strategy.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS): Federal Taxes
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects federal income tax, payroll tax, and self-employment tax, and enforces unpaid balances through federal tax liens, bank levies, wage garnishments, and passport certification for seriously delinquent debt. Federal resolution programs include installment agreements, the Offer in Compromise, Currently Not Collectible status, and penalty abatement. Our Tampa tax attorneys deal directly with the revenue officers and examiners working Hillsborough County cases from the IRS’s Tampa offices, and handle every IRS notice, filing, and negotiation on your behalf.
Florida Department of Revenue (FL DOR): State Taxes
The Florida Department of Revenue (FL DOR) administers sales and use tax under Chapter 212, Florida Statutes, corporate income tax under Chapter 220, reemployment tax, and documentary stamp tax. Florida has no personal income tax, so an individual’s exposure to the FL DOR almost always runs through a business. The FL DOR enforces unpaid balances through tax warrants recorded in county public records, garnishment of bank accounts and other third-party funds under Florida Statutes 213.67, and revocation of a dealer’s sales tax registration. State resolution options include a Stipulated Time Payment Agreement, compromise of tax, penalty, and interest under section 213.21, and an informal protest of a Notice of Proposed Assessment. Our Florida-licensed attorneys respond to FL DOR audit notices and negotiate directly with the department.
Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Local Business Tax
The Hillsborough County Tax Collector administers the county’s local business tax receipt under Chapter 205, Florida Statutes, and collects tangible personal property tax on business equipment. A business cannot lawfully operate in the county without a current receipt, and unpaid tangible personal property tax becomes a county tax warrant that authorizes seizure and sale of the equipment. Local business tax compliance is independent of IRS and FL DOR balances, and DBPR professional licenses are not tied to either. Our attorneys bring local business tax filings current when a federal or Florida case depends on them, so the business keeps its receipt and its eligibility for contracts and financing.
How Our Tampa Tax Attorneys Work a Case
Research, Negotiation, Litigation, and Case Results
A Tampa tax attorney at J. David Tax Law works a case in three ways: legal research into the statute and procedure that govern the assessment, direct negotiation with the IRS and the FL DOR, and litigation in the U.S. Tax Court when negotiation fails.
Legal Research
Legal research at J. David Tax Law means reading the statute, regulation, and procedure behind an assessment before responding to it: the Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations, the Internal Revenue Manual that governs IRS collection and examination staff, Florida Statutes Chapters 212 and 220, and the Florida Administrative Code rules the FL DOR applies, including Rule Chapter 12-13 on compromise and settlement of tax, penalties, and interest. Our attorneys also track the FL DOR’s Tax Information Publications and Technical Assistance Advisements that change how Hillsborough County taxpayers are assessed.
IRS and Florida Department of Revenue Negotiations
Negotiation with the IRS runs through the officer assigned to the case: a revenue officer in collection, an examiner in audit, or an Appeals officer after a 30-day letter. Our Tampa tax attorneys put Form 2848 on file, then negotiate the resolution the financials support, whether an installment agreement, an Offer in Compromise, penalty abatement, or Currently Not Collectible status, and the IRS does not levy while that resolution is pending. With the FL DOR, negotiation starts from the audit notice (Form DR-840, Notice of Intent to Audit Books and Records) or the sales and use tax return in dispute (Form DR-15) and ends in a Stipulated Time Payment Agreement or a compromise of penalty and interest.
Tax Litigation
Tax litigation begins where negotiation ends. A federal deficiency is petitioned to the U.S. Tax Court within the 90 days stated on the Notice of Deficiency, and the court holds trial sessions in Tampa. A Florida assessment is contested under Chapter 72, Florida Statutes, before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) or in circuit court, within 60 days of the assessment becoming final. Our attorneys prepare the petition, the evidence, and the witnesses, and negotiate with IRS Appeals or FL DOR counsel while the case is docketed.
Case Results
Our Tampa tax attorneys resolve IRS and FL DOR balances through the resolution the client’s financials support, and set the compliance plan that keeps it in force.
Why People Trust
J. David Tax Law®
Meet Our Tampa Tax Attorneys
Patrick Papadelis and Sonishari Bellam are the firm’s Florida-licensed tax attorneys serving Tampa. Both represent individuals and businesses before the IRS and the Florida Department of Revenue, covering audits, collections, and sales and use tax cases for clients across Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Firm founder Jonathan Sooriash supports Tampa cases from the firm’s national practice.
Six Values Guide How Our Attorneys Handle Every Case
J. David Tax Law’s attorneys work by six values: effective communication, accountability, integrity, collaborative teamwork, compassion, and growth. Each is defined below as it applies to a tax case.
Communicate Effectively
Clear communication fosters trust, ensures clients understand their tax responsibilities, and aids in effective representation.
Accountability
We uphold ethical standards by providing precise advice, avoiding conflicts of interest, and maintaining client-attorney confidentiality.
Act with Integrity
We prioritize clients' requests in tax cases, adhering to high standards of fairness, honesty, and legality while navigating tax codes.
Collaborative Teamwork
Our tax attorneys work each case as a team, combining the firm's attorneys and the client's knowledge of the facts into one strategy.
Compassion
Our tax lawyers advocate for fair treatment, aiming to minimize financial burdens from tax authorities based on clients' financial capacity.
Inspire Growth
We offer a client-centric approach, both individually and collectively, to serve our clients and contribute to a better financial future.
Communicate Effectively
Clear communication fosters trust, ensures clients understand their tax responsibilities, and aids in effective representation.
Accountability
Our tax attorneys in Florida uphold ethical standards by providing precise advice, avoiding conflicts of interest, and maintaining client-attorney confidentiality.
Act with Integrity
We prioritize clients' requests in tax cases, adhering to high standards of fairness, honesty, and legality while navigating tax codes.
Collaborative Teamwork
Our tax attorneys work each case as a team, combining the firm's attorneys and the client's knowledge of the facts into one strategy.
Compassion
Our tax lawyers advocate for fair treatment, aiming to minimize financial burdens from tax authorities based on clients' financial capacity.
Inspire Growth
We offer a client-centric approach, both individually and collectively, to serve our clients and contribute to a better financial future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tampa Tax Questions, Answered by Our Florida-Licensed Tax Attorneys
How do I avoid tax debt?
Tax debt is avoided by paying as income is earned: adjust withholding on Form W-4 so enough tax comes out of each paycheck, and if you are self-employed or have investment income, pay quarterly estimated taxes by the four IRS deadlines (April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15). File every return on time even when you cannot pay, because the failure-to-file penalty (5% per month) is ten times the failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month), and answer every IRS or FL DOR notice before the date printed on it.
Can a tax attorney talk to the IRS for me?
Yes. IRS Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, authorizes your attorney to receive and inspect your confidential tax information and to act for you before the IRS: the attorney pulls your account transcripts, negotiates with the revenue officer or examiner, and files any appeal. Your attorney also receives copies of IRS notices when the form designates them to. For a Florida Department of Revenue case, Form DR-835 does the same. Attorney-client privilege, which does not protect communications with a CPA or enrolled agent once a case turns criminal, is the protection only an attorney provides.
What should I do if I receive a tax notice from the IRS?
- Find the notice number in the top right corner, such as CP14, CP504, CP2000, LT11, or Letter 1058, because it tells you what the IRS is doing and how long you have.
- Calendar the response date printed on the notice: a CP2000 allows 30 days to dispute proposed changes, and an LT11 or Letter 1058 gives 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing before the IRS can levy.
- Gather the return and records for the tax year listed before anyone contacts the IRS.
- Sign IRS Form 2848 so a tax attorney answers the notice for you; a missed deadline on a collection notice forfeits the appeal rights that notice carries.
Is there an IRS program that erases tax debt?
No single IRS program erases tax debt. “Fresh Start” is the name of changes the IRS made in 2011 and 2012 that still apply: the lien-filing threshold rose to $10,000, streamlined installment agreements expanded to balances up to $50,000, and the Offer in Compromise became easier to qualify for. The three mechanisms that actually reduce a balance are the Offer in Compromise, which settles for less than owed based on reasonable collection potential; penalty abatement; and the 10-year collection statute, after which the IRS can no longer collect. Our Fresh Start Program page explains which of those a Tampa taxpayer qualifies for.
What are my options for resolving IRS tax debt?
The IRS offers five resolution paths: an installment agreement (monthly payments on the full balance), an Offer in Compromise (settlement for less than owed), Currently Not Collectible status (collection paused for financial hardship), penalty abatement (First Time Abatement or reasonable cause), and innocent spouse relief for a balance created by a spouse’s return. Bankruptcy discharges some income tax debt under separate rules, generally returns due more than three years before the petition and filed at least two years before it. Our Tampa tax attorneys match your case to the path your financials support.
What tax services does J. David Tax Law offer in Tampa?
J. David Tax Law offers 19 tax relief services in Tampa across five practice areas: tax debt solutions, IRS enforcement actions, IRS disputes and audits, specialized tax services, and tax filing and compliance. Within those areas, our attorneys handle Offer in Compromise settlements, IRS payment plans, wage garnishment and levy release, tax lien resolution, IRS and FL DOR audit representation, IRS criminal investigation defense, penalty abatement, 940 and 941 payroll tax cases, and Florida sales and use tax assessments. Call (813) 605-1615 to speak with a Tampa tax attorney, or view all 19 tax relief services.
From the Tax Debt Learning Center
Recent guides from our attorneys on Florida and IRS tax problems:
2025 IRS Fresh Start Program
How Much Does a Tax Attorney Cost in Florida | J. David Tax Law
Can a Tax Attorney Negotiate with the IRS?
Florida Sales Tax Holidays 2025: What’s Exempt & What’s Not
How Long Does the IRS Offer in Compromise Take? A Timeline to Prepare for Success.
Florida Tax Debt Resolution Experts | J. David Tax Law
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We help Tampa residents and business owners resolve IRS and Florida Department of Revenue tax debt, unfiled returns, audits, and other tax problems, and advise on the compliance that keeps them resolved.
