Segal, Cohen & Landis, P.C.
Orange County IRS Tax Attorney
Serving Orange County from our Beverly Hills office. Most matters are handled entirely by phone and video.
Orange County's wealth - concentrated in places like Newport Beach, Irvine, and Laguna Niguel - makes its residents and business owners disproportionately visible to the IRS and California's Franchise Tax Board, whether the issue is an unreported foreign account, a real estate partnership under passive-loss scrutiny, or six figures in back taxes accruing penalties by the day. Segal, Cohen & Landis, the IRS tax law firm headquartered at 9100 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, has spent over 33 years resolving exactly these disputes - audits, FTB collections, FBAR and offshore disclosure, liens, levies, and Offers in Compromise - for clients throughout Southern California. Because federal tax practice is nationwide, our attorneys represent Orange County taxpayers before the IRS regardless of where the firm sits, and we know how the FTB's separate enforcement machine operates against high-income filers here. If you have received an audit notice, a CP2000, or an FTB demand, the time to build a defense is before the deadline - call before silence becomes the IRS's strongest evidence against you.
CA
Orange CountyCalifornia
IRS & Tax Context for Orange County
All of California →IRS Office for Orange County Taxpayers
IRS Los Angeles Campus
300 N. Los Angeles St., Stop 7345, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 576-3140
Federal / Tax Court
U.S. Tax Court — Los Angeles Session | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Santa Ana Division)
California tax context
Tax issues affecting Orange County
Orange County taxpayers face two independent enforcement bodies, not one. California's Franchise Tax Board (FTB) administers a state income tax that tops out at 13.3%, including the 1% behavioral health services tax on taxable income above $1 million; that 1% is already included in the 13.3% top rate. The FTB runs its own audits, liens, and wage garnishments on a separate track from the IRS, and it is notoriously aggressive on residency: high earners who claim a move to Nevada, Texas, or Florida while keeping an Orange County home, club membership, or business interest routinely draw FTB residency audits that can reach back four years and demand tax on worldwide income.
Real estate investments
Three local sectors carry outsized exposure. First, real estate - Orange County's investor-heavy market generates passive-loss limitation audits, 1031 exchange challenges, and short-term rental reclassification fights, compounded by California's refusal to conform to federal bonus depreciation and its own basis rules, which create mismatches the FTB mines for assessments.
International reporting
Second, the county's large Vietnamese and Korean business communities - concentrated in Garden Grove, Westminster's Little Saigon, and Buena Park - face heightened FBAR and FATCA exposure on foreign accounts, plus Forms 5471, 3520, and 8938; the IRS treats willful non-disclosure as a path to penalties of 50% of account value per year and potential criminal referral.
Business and payroll taxes
Third, Orange County's dense base of medical practices, dental groups, and tech founders draws S-corporation reasonable-compensation audits, R&D credit scrutiny, and worker-classification challenges under California's strict AB 5 / ABC test, where the FTB and EDD coordinate.
Federal audit priorities
IRS enforcement priorities in the region track national campaigns that hit affluent coastal counties hardest: high-wealth individual audits funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, partnership and pass-through examinations, cryptocurrency reporting via John Doe summonses, and offshore disclosure enforcement aimed squarely at immigrant-founder communities.
Coordinated representation
Segal, Cohen & Landis handles all of it from Beverly Hills - and because IRS practice is federal and nationwide, geography is no barrier to representing Orange County clients before the Service. For FTB matters, our attorneys understand California's non-conformity provisions and residency doctrine well enough to challenge assessments the FTB assumes will go unanswered. The cost of waiting is measured in accruing penalties and interest; the cost of representation is fixed.
IRS Tax Services Available to Orange County Clients
We represent clients in Orange County and across the United States before the IRS, U.S. Tax Court, and state tax agencies. Common issues we resolve:
Why Orange County Taxpayers Choose Segal, Cohen & Landis
Attorney-Led, Not Sales-Led
Every case is handled directly by a licensed tax attorney — never delegated to an unenrolled preparer or case manager. You get attorney judgment from day one.
33+ Years of IRS Experience
Sam Landis, Esq. has spent over three decades navigating IRS Collection, IRS Examination, and U.S. Tax Court on behalf of individuals and businesses.
National IRS Practice
We practice before the IRS in all 50 states and U.S. territories. Your physical location doesn't limit your access to experienced IRS tax counsel.
Client Reviews
Read client feedback and visit our review sources for their current ratings and review counts.
What Our Clients Say
Read client feedback on Google and Trustpilot.
“Sam resolved a six-figure IRS levy in under a week. He communicated every step clearly and got the result we needed. I can't recommend SCL highly enough.”
Michael T. · 2024
“I had an extremely complex FBAR and Form 3520 situation. Sam understood every nuance and handled the voluntary disclosure flawlessly. Genuinely the best in the field.”
Priya R. · 2024
“After receiving an IRS audit notice I was terrified. The team at SCL walked me through everything, represented me completely, and the audit closed with no changes. Worth every penny.”
David L. · 2023
Samuel Landis, Esq. · LL.M. Taxation, Boston University · 33+ years IRS controversy practice
Frequently Asked Questions — Orange County IRS Tax Help
What types of IRS audits are most common for Orange County taxpayers?
High-income audit triggers in OC include large Schedule C deductions, real estate passive loss claims, equity compensation from public companies, and international asset reporting. The IRS uses DIF scores to select returns — OC's high average income means many local taxpayers fall into higher-risk brackets. SCL handles all types of IRS examination for OC clients.
Does SCL handle FTB audits for Orange County businesses?
Yes. California FTB audits of OC businesses — particularly those with multi-entity structures, real estate holdings, or mixed personal and business use of assets — are a core part of SCL's practice. The firm handles FTB examination response, protest, and California Office of Tax Appeals proceedings.
Can SCL help Orange County clients with offshore account reporting?
Yes. OC's Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese communities have significant FBAR compliance needs. SCL handles Streamlined Offshore Procedures, IRS Voluntary Disclosure, and FBAR penalty defense for Orange County clients.
How quickly can you stop a wage garnishment or bank levy?
In most cases, we can issue an IRS levy release or garnishment suspension within 24–72 hours of being retained, pending IRS processing. The first step is a free consultation to assess your situation.
What is the cost of a tax attorney consultation?
We offer a free initial consultation to evaluate your situation. Fee schedules vary by case type and complexity — we are transparent about fees before any engagement.
Attorney-Led IRS Representation
Ready to Resolve Your IRS Problem in Orange County?
Schedule a confidential consultation with a licensed IRS tax attorney. No sales calls, no pressure — just honest legal counsel and a clear path forward.
Attorney Advertising. This page provides general information, not legal advice. Contact an attorney for advice specific to your situation.