Before Peter Rageas ever sat for the bar exam, he was a practicing CPA at Coopers and Lybrand, the firm that would later become PricewaterhouseCoopers. He went on to earn a Masters in Taxation in 1990 and then his JD from Michigan State University College of Law in 1993. That combination of accounting practice at a Big Four predecessor firm, a graduate tax degree, and a law license gives the Tax Resolution Law Firm an analytical foundation that differs from attorneys who came to tax law through litigation alone.
Overview
Tax Resolution Law Firm, operating as the Law Offices of Peter C. Rageas, is a Michigan-based tax law and IRS defense practice with offices in Royal Oak and Detroit. The firm has been in practice for over 20 years. Peter Rageas holds both a law license and a CPA certification, which allows the firm to approach tax disputes simultaneously from the accounting and legal angles.
The firm’s scope covers the full range of IRS and state tax dispute resolution: from negotiating offers in compromise and installment agreements to defending against criminal tax charges, representing clients in audits, and handling levy and lien releases. The firm also offers business law services.
One structural feature distinguishes the firm’s client intake from typical attorney-fee arrangements: the firm offers contingency fee arrangements for qualifying matters, meaning no upfront attorney fees in those cases. It also offers free case evaluations. These features reflect a practice built to be accessible to clients who are in financial distress, which is typically the situation when someone faces significant unpaid tax liability or IRS collection action.
Practice Areas
Tax resolution is the firm’s defining practice. The scope of services covers every significant phase of an IRS or state tax dispute.
Offer in compromise allows qualifying taxpayers to settle their tax debt for less than the full amount owed. The eligibility criteria are specific and IRS-controlled, and the preparation and negotiation of a successful offer requires detailed financial disclosure and strategic argumentation about the taxpayer’s ability to pay.
Installment payment agreements allow clients to pay outstanding tax debt over time rather than in a lump sum. The firm negotiates the terms of these agreements with the IRS and state tax authorities.
Penalty abatement covers the process of requesting that penalties added to a tax bill be reduced or eliminated, typically based on reasonable cause, first-time abatement eligibility, or other grounds recognized by the IRS.
Innocent spouse relief is available to a taxpayer who filed jointly with a spouse or former spouse and is now being held responsible for tax errors or underreporting that the other spouse was responsible for.
IRS audit defense and representation covers both correspondence audits, where the IRS requests documents by mail, and in-person examination audits. The firm manages the audit process on the client’s behalf and responds to IRS findings.
IRS tax liens arise when the IRS files a public notice of its claim against a taxpayer’s property. The firm handles lien releases and subordination requests.
Bank levy and garnishment defense addresses situations where the IRS seizes bank account funds or garnishes wages to collect unpaid taxes. The firm pursues levy releases and negotiates alternatives.
Payroll tax debt relief covers a specific and serious category of tax liability, as the IRS treats unpaid payroll taxes (employment taxes not remitted to the government) as a priority collection matter with personal liability implications for responsible parties in a business.
Criminal tax defense is also offered. Criminal tax charges, such as tax evasion or willful failure to file, are federal matters and carry significant potential consequences. Peter Rageas’s admission to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan positions the firm for federal court representation in these matters.
Late tax return filing assistance covers clients who have not filed required returns in prior years and need to come into compliance with the IRS.
Business law is listed as a practice area, though the firm’s primary identity is in tax resolution.
Attorney Profiles
Peter C. Rageas is the founder and principal attorney. He earned his BS in Business in 1985 and his Masters in Taxation in 1990 before earning his JD from Michigan State University College of Law in 1993. Before law school, he worked as a CPA at Coopers and Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers. He holds both a Michigan bar license and an active CPA certification. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and has more than 20 years of tax law practice experience. Additional attorneys at the firm, if any, are not identified in publicly available sources.
Location and Service Area
The firm’s primary office is at 401 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067. A second office is located at 400 Monroe Ave, Suite 620, Detroit, MI 48226. The main phone number is (313) 315-2272.
The firm serves clients throughout Michigan, with particular depth in the Metro Detroit area. Named service areas include Royal Oak, Detroit, Troy, Bloomfield Hills, Ann Arbor, Rochester Hills, St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe, Auburn Hills, and more than 40 additional cities throughout Wayne and Oakland Counties. Federal matters, including U.S. Tax Court proceedings and federal criminal tax defense, extend the firm’s practical reach beyond Michigan’s geographic boundaries.
Client Focus
The firm serves individuals and businesses facing IRS and state tax disputes, unpaid tax liability, audits, and related enforcement actions. The contingency fee arrangement for qualifying matters is specifically designed to make representation accessible to clients who are already under financial pressure because of their tax situation.
Free case evaluations allow prospective clients to understand their options before committing to representation. Inquiries can be made by phone at (313) 315-2272 or through the online contact form at https://taxresolutionlawfirm.com/
Language capabilities at the firm are not publicly specified. Community involvement details are not publicly available.
FAQ
What is an offer in compromise and does everyone qualify?
An offer in compromise is a program through which the IRS agrees to settle a taxpayer’s debt for less than the full amount owed. Not everyone qualifies. Eligibility depends on the taxpayer’s income, expenses, assets, and the specific nature of the debt. The firm evaluates whether a client is a viable candidate for an OIC before pursuing one.
Does the firm handle criminal tax matters?
Yes. Criminal tax defense is an offered service. Peter Rageas holds admission to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, where federal criminal tax cases are tried.
What does it mean that the firm works on a contingency basis?
For qualifying matters, the firm does not charge upfront attorney fees. The firm’s fee is contingent on the outcome. Not all matters qualify for contingency arrangements; prospective clients should discuss this during the free case evaluation.
What is the difference between a tax lien and a tax levy?
A tax lien is a public notice the IRS files claiming an interest in a taxpayer’s property. A tax levy is an actual seizure of assets, such as a bank account or wages. The firm handles both, pursuing lien releases and defending against levies.
Does the firm’s CPA background make a practical difference?
Peter Rageas’s CPA credential and prior accounting firm experience mean he can read financial records and assess IRS analysis from an accounting standpoint as well as a legal one. In audit defense and offer in compromise preparation, which involve detailed financial disclosure and analysis, this combination can affect the strategy and quality of the work.
Closing
Tax Resolution Law Firm occupies a specific position in Michigan’s tax dispute market: a single-attorney practice built around a dual credential that spans accounting and law, with a fee structure designed to lower the barrier to representation for clients in financial distress. Two decades of IRS resolution practice in Royal Oak and Detroit gives the firm a record in the precise scenarios where clients facing serious tax liability need experienced help.