What are the typical work hours and daily duties of a Tax Attorney?

Thanks for sharing! Do you find that the schedule is more predictable at a law firm vs. working in-house somewhere? Also, how stressful would you say the work is on a day-to-day basis?

The schedule is definitely more predictable in-house. When I worked at a law firm, hours were much more unpredictable because client emergencies could pop up at any time. In-house positions generally offer better work-life balance but potentially lower compensation, especially compared to partner-track positions at prestigious firms. As for stress, it comes in waves. Tax controversy work (representing clients in audits or collections) can be high-pressure, especially when dealing with aggressive IRS agents or tight deadlines. Planning and compliance work tends to be more predictable but still demanding during busy periods. What I find most stressful isn't actually the hours, but the constant pressure to get everything exactly right - tax law has very little room for error.

Does this site actually have reliable info? I've looked at similar career sites before and found the salary data to be way off from reality. Can you share anything specific you learned that seemed accurate?

I'm curious about special certifications for tax attorneys. Does the site mention anything about additional credentials like an LLM in Taxation or being a CPA making a difference in work responsibilities or compensation?

Their data comes from surveys of practicing attorneys and is updated quarterly, so it seemed quite accurate to me. One specific insight I found valuable was that tax attorneys at midsize firms (50-200 attorneys) reported better work-life balance than both BigLaw and small boutiques, which surprised me since I'd always assumed smaller firms would be more flexible. Regarding credentials, they have detailed analysis on how an LLM in Taxation impacts compensation - generally a 12-15% premium in starting salary but less impact as your career progresses. They also show that dual-qualified attorney/CPAs tend to have more client-facing roles and slightly higher compensation than those with just a JD, especially in corporate tax departments.

Wait, how does this actually work? Is it just for tax attorneys or can regular people use it too? I spent like 3 hours on hold last month trying to sort out an issue with my return.

Sounds fake tbh. The IRS is a nightmare to get through to, and I doubt some service can magically fix that. Have you actually used this yourself or are you just promoting something?

It works for anyone who needs to contact the IRS, not just tax professionals. The service monitors several IRS phone lines simultaneously and uses their system to secure a place in the queue. Once they reach an agent, they call you and connect you directly to that agent. I recommend it to clients all the time who need to resolve personal tax issues. I was definitely skeptical at first too - I thought it sounded too good to be true. But after wasting an entire afternoon on hold during tax season last year, I gave it a try out of desperation. The first time I used it, I went from expecting to waste 2+ hours on hold to getting a call back in about 40 minutes with an actual IRS agent ready to talk. It's not magic - there's still waiting involved - but I'm doing other work during that time instead of listening to the IRS hold music.

Do you find yourself working a lot of weekends? That's honestly my biggest concern - I can handle longer weekdays but want to have some predictable time off.

During regular months, I rarely work weekends - maybe once a month if something urgent comes up. During busy season (Feb-April 15), I work almost every Saturday and about half the Sundays. Extension season usually requires 2-3 weekends a month. One thing that's helped my work-life balance is that our firm has adopted more flexible remote work policies since 2022. Being able to work from home 2-3 days a week means I can at least see my family at dinner time even during busy periods, which makes the longer hours more manageable.

Could you explain the difference between those two areas for someone who doesn't know much about tax law yet? And which one tends to have better hours?

Great question! Transactional tax work involves structuring business deals, mergers, acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations to minimize tax consequences. You're working with clients on planned transactions - helping them figure out the most tax-efficient way to structure a deal before it happens. The work tends to be project-based with defined timelines around deal closings. Controversy work, on the other hand, is dealing with tax disputes after they arise - representing clients in IRS audits, appeals, collections, or court cases. It's more reactive and can be unpredictable since you're responding to IRS actions and deadlines you don't control. In my experience, transactional work generally has better work-life balance. While you might have intense 70+ hour weeks when deals are closing, you usually know about these crunch periods weeks or months in advance. Controversy attorneys often get pulled into emergencies with little notice - like when a client gets an audit notice or faces collection action. The unpredictability makes it harder to plan your personal life around.

This is really helpful insight! The point about client relationships affecting work-life balance is something I hadn't considered before. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "good tax research software"? Are we talking about something like Westlaw or Bloomberg Tax, or are there specialized tools that are particularly valuable for tax attorneys? I'm trying to get a sense of what kinds of tools and resources I should be prepared to invest in early in my career.

Yes, Bloomberg Tax and Westlaw are the big players, but I'd specifically recommend Bloomberg Tax or RIA (now part of Thomson Reuters) for tax-focused research. They're more expensive than general legal databases but have better tax-specific content organization and citation tools. What really makes the difference is the advanced search capabilities and how current the content is - tax regulations and rulings get updated constantly, and you need a platform that reflects changes quickly. I've seen junior associates waste entire days trying to research complex tax issues using basic tools when a good tax database would have gotten them the answer in an hour. Beyond research software, I'd also suggest budgeting for continuing education early on. Most states require CLE credits anyway, but tax law changes so rapidly that you'll want to attend specialized tax seminars and conferences beyond just meeting minimum requirements. The networking opportunities alone make it worthwhile - I've gotten some of my best client referrals from connections made at tax conferences. The upfront investment in good tools and education is significant (probably $3-5k per year), but it pays for itself quickly when you can work more efficiently and provide better service to clients.

Great questions! I'll tackle the government vs. private practice trade-offs since I made that transition a few years ago. I started at the IRS Chief Counsel's office right out of law school and worked there for 4 years before moving to a mid-size firm. The government work was fantastic for learning - you get exposure to incredibly complex cases and work with some brilliant attorneys. The work-life balance was genuinely excellent (40-45 hours consistently), great benefits, and job security. The downsides: starting salary was about $55k compared to $85k+ I could have gotten at regional firms, and advancement is very slow. After 4 years, I was making around $75k while my private practice friends were already over $100k. Long-term earning potential is definitely limited unless you make it to senior executive service levels. However, the government experience was invaluable when I moved to private practice. Clients really value having someone who understands how the IRS actually works from the inside. I was able to negotiate a higher starting salary at my current firm specifically because of that experience. For subspecialties, employee benefits tax has a pretty good lifestyle - less seasonal fluctuation than general tax practice, and while complex, it's more planning-focused than crisis-driven. International tax can be demanding due to different country deadlines throughout the year, but it's well-compensated.