A tax attorney is a specialist in the field of taxes. He or she may specific type of taxes. The focus may be on personal income taxes, sales taxes or small business taxes. Other areas include employment taxes, corporation taxes, gift taxes and inheritance taxes. A tax attorney may specialize in one or all aspects. A tax attorney may also prefer to limit his or her expertise to a specific geographic region. In other words, a tax attorney may choose to practice tax law on a federal level. This would require a complete comprehension of the workings of the IRS and the Treasury department. Alternatively, a tax lawyer may concentrate on state tax legislation and enforcement. There is also the possibility a tax attorney may choose to work only within a specific county or municipality. This is possible because of the different types of tax legislation and the various jurisdictions within the United States. Before hiring a tax attorney, make sure you are dealing with a creditable and reputable lawyer. Check out his or her credentials with the local lawyers' association before engaging his or her services.