Segal, Cohen & Landis, P.C.
Pasadena IRS Tax Attorney
Serving Pasadena from our Beverly Hills office. Most matters are handled entirely by phone and video.
Pasadena professionals - Caltech and JPL researchers with equity and grant income, biotech founders along the 210 corridor, and Old Pasadena business owners - are prime targets when the IRS or California's Franchise Tax Board flags an underreported stock option exercise, a disallowed research credit, or a mismatched 1099. A federal audit or an FTB residency challenge can put six figures of tax, penalties, and interest at risk before you ever see a Notice of Deficiency. Segal, Cohen & Landis, P.C., headquartered at 9100 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, has spent over 33 years defending high-income professionals and business owners across the San Gabriel Valley - from IRS audit representation and Offers in Compromise to tax lien release and voluntary disclosure - and our IRS practice extends nationwide. If you've received an audit letter, a CP2000, or an FTB demand, call before the response deadline closes your options.
CA
PasadenaCalifornia
IRS & Tax Context for Pasadena
All of California →IRS Office for Pasadena Taxpayers
IRS Los Angeles Campus (nearest)
300 N. Los Angeles St., Stop 7345, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 576-3140
Federal / Tax Court
U.S. Tax Court — Los Angeles Special Trial Session | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (Pasadena Division)
California tax context
Tax issues affecting Pasadena
Pasadena residents pay among the highest combined tax burdens in the nation. California's individual income tax is the steepest in the country, topping out at 13.3% on income above roughly $1 million - and Pasadena's concentration of Caltech faculty, JPL contractors, biotech executives, and professional-services partners pushes many households into the upper brackets.
California enforcement
That state liability is administered not by the IRS but by the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), an agency that operates entirely independently, runs its own audits, issues its own liens and bank levies, and pursues residency and source-of-income disputes far more aggressively than most state revenue departments. A clean resolution with the IRS does not bind the FTB, and the FTB's four-year statute and "innocent until proven resident" posture mean Pasadena taxpayers frequently fight a two-front war.
Research and equity compensation
The local economy creates specific audit exposure. Caltech and JPL generate equity compensation, consulting income, and federal research grant funding - areas where the IRS scrutinizes ISO and NSO exercises, AMT calculations, and the line between contractor and employee. The San Gabriel Valley's life-sciences and engineering startups lean heavily on the federal R&D credit (IRC §41) and California's parallel research credit; both the IRS and FTB routinely challenge qualified-research expenses, contract-research allocations, and documentation, and a denied credit can cascade into multi-year reassessments.
Professional services
Pasadena's dense professional-services base - law firms, architecture and design practices, medical groups, and consultancies organized as S-corps and partnerships - draws pass-through audit attention on reasonable-compensation, the §199A QBI deduction, and passive-loss treatment of investment real estate along Lake Avenue and Colorado Boulevard.
Audits and residency
IRS enforcement in the Central District of California has concentrated on high-income non-filers, unreported foreign accounts (FBAR/FATCA), cryptocurrency gains, and aggressive partnership structures - all common among Pasadena's affluent, internationally connected professional class. The FTB layers on residency audits targeting taxpayers who claim to have left California while retaining a Pasadena home or business ties.
Coordinated representation
Segal, Cohen & Landis handles both fronts. Our Beverly Hills office is a short drive down the 134, but federal IRS representation is admitted nationwide, and we appear before the FTB and California Office of Tax Appeals on state matters. Whether the exposure is a federal audit, an FTB residency claim, or a stacked lien from both, Pasadena clients get one firm coordinating the entire defense.
IRS Tax Services Available to Pasadena Clients
We represent clients in Pasadena and across the United States before the IRS, U.S. Tax Court, and state tax agencies. Common issues we resolve:
Why Pasadena 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 — Pasadena IRS Tax Help
I exercised ISOs and triggered AMT. Can SCL help?
Incentive Stock Option exercises can trigger the Alternative Minimum Tax even when the stock hasn't been sold, creating a tax bill without corresponding cash. SCL analyzes AMT exposure, files amended returns where prior year planning was missed, and advises on AMT credit recovery in subsequent years.
Does SCL handle IRS audits for Caltech and JPL employees?
Yes. Government and university employees with complex W-2s, deferred compensation, and supplemental income are SCL clients. Pasadena's research community is well-represented in our client base. We handle both IRS examination response and any resulting FTB parallel audits.
What is the California FTB and why does it matter?
The Franchise Tax Board is California's state income tax authority. Unlike some states, California's FTB conducts independent audits, maintains its own collection enforcement operation, and does not automatically accept IRS audit settlements. SCL represents taxpayers before both the IRS and FTB simultaneously.
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 Pasadena?
Schedule a confidential consultation with a licensed IRS tax attorney. No sales calls, no pressure — just honest legal counsel and a clear path forward.
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