Laywer took my money, DID NO WORK!

[burnedbummed]

What is the name of your state? Washington

18 months ago I hired a lawyer to assist me with IRS issues. I paid him $2500.00. I was stupid and never did get a contract from him. To make a very long story short, my girlfriend and I wound up do everything ourselves and now have an agreed amount owing with the IRS and a payment plan in place.

We recently sent the lawyer an email letting him know how dissatisfied and frustrated we were with the very little actual work he ever did on my behalf. We requested that he refund $1000.00 dollars of that money. He has not responded. There is surprise.

His lack of contact (and my vigilant efforts) are all a matter of history with the IRS. They can confirm how little he ever did for me.

Do I have any hope of getting anything back from him? Like in small claims I guess? It is just me against a LAWYER...

TIA

[burnedbummed]

I see there have been a good number of views of post. To be informative I thought I would mention this; I looked on the Washington State Bar Association web site and discovered that there are some options.

I am going to file a petition for mediation. If this is not effective in helping me get a portion of my money returned I will follow the other steps available.

Even if I never get any of the money I spent returned, I will at least make this man's name, and the circumstances, known to the bar association for what he did. I do not imagine that I am the only person who experienced such behavior from him.

Best Regards.

[novelist999]

I can relate.

I owe a huge IRS debt, and I've been through a similar thing. I hired a tax attorney for more than $10000 who drug his feet for nearly 2 years before he filed my back taxes. He never bothered to file the installment agreement or OIC request. Then I hired another tax attorney who charged me $2000 and never did a thing for me either. After the initial consultation, I never heard from him again. Next, I hired someone online for $5000 who wasn't an attorney but was what is called an "enrolled agent" who deals exclusively with the IRS. Six months passed and he'd done nothing. All of them ripped me off and never submitted an offer in compromise or an installment agreement request to the IRS.

By this time, three years had passed and the IRS had slapped liens and levies on my property and had garnished my wages.

So, finally, out of desperation, I decided to handle my case myself. I called the IRS, got my paperwork together and submitted the installment agreement. It was approved.

I too have been unsuccessful in gettting any of these tax professionals to return the money I paid them. One of them even got extremely nasty when I requested it. I think all that one can do in such a situation is report them to the bar. I don't know if a small claims suit would be successful or not.

If you've filed such a suit, I'd like to know what the results are. :-)

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by burnedbummed

I see there have been a good number of views of post. To be informative I thought I would mention this; I looked on the Washington State Bar Association web site and discovered that there are some options.

I am going to file a petition for mediation. If this is not effective in helping me get a portion of my money returned I will follow the other steps available.

Even if I never get any of the money I spent returned, I will at least make this man's name, and the circumstances, known to the bar association for what he did. I do not imagine that I am the only person who experienced such behavior from him.

Best Regards.

**A: ok, good luck.

[Dandy Don]

How did you find out about his work and does his ad mention that he specializes in IRS resolution cases?

Send him a certified letter asking for a detailed invoice of billable hours (that will show specific descriptions for services rendered). He will either respond with an invoice or will not respond, in which case your letter will be evidence you can use in your complaint.