Rio Grande Valley Tax Lawyer
Your Rio Grande Valley Tax Lawyer for Serious IRS Problems
An IRS notice does not wait for a good time to arrive. Wages get garnished, bank accounts get frozen, and the balance keeps climbing as interest and penalties stack on top. Business owners watch a single missed payroll deposit turn into a personal liability almost overnight.
David Coffin PLLC brings a rare vantage point to Rio Grande Valley tax lawyer work.
Attorney David Coffin spent years as a trial attorney for the Department of Justice Tax Division, then built a Texas practice devoted to IRS defense, trust fund recovery penalty cases, and federal tax litigation, including matters arising from the Southern District’s McAllen and Brownsville Divisions.
That background means we understand how the government builds its case long before it reaches your mailbox. If you’re dealing with an IRS problem anywhere from McAllen to Brownsville, it helps to talk with someone who has sat on the other side of the table.
| TEXAS ATTORNEY SINCE 1999 | ADMITTED IN ALL FOUR TEXAS FEDERAL DISTRICTS | LICENSED CPA SINCE 1990 |
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Facing IRS Challenges? Get the Representation You Deserve!
Tax Problems Our Rio Grande Valley Clients Bring Us
Most calls we get involve the IRS moving faster than the taxpayer expected. We regularly help clients with:
- Unpaid payroll taxes and Trust Fund Recovery Penalty assessments
- Wage garnishments and bank levies already underway
- IRS audits and disputed tax assessments
- Offers in compromise and installment agreement negotiations
- Years of unfiled tax returns
- Federal tax litigation in the U.S. District Courts serving South Texas
Whether the issue started with a single missed payroll deposit or years of unfiled returns, we work to stop collection action and put together a realistic plan built to get IRS approval.
What an IRS Trust Fund Recovery Penalty Can Cost You
Payroll tax debt is not like other IRS problems. Under 26 U.S.C. § 6672, the IRS can assess a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty equal to 100% of unpaid taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks, personally against any owner, officer, or bookkeeper found to be a “responsible person” who acted willfully.
That penalty does not stop at the business; it follows the individual into personal bank accounts and paychecks. If the debt goes unpaid, the IRS can move to collect through a levy, reaching wages, bank funds, and other property after sending a final notice that only gives you 30 days to respond.
For a family already stretched thin, that means the time to respond is now, not after the first garnishment notice arrives.
How We Reach Clients From McAllen to Brownsville
David Coffin PLLC is based in Southlake, but our federal tax practice reaches across the state, including the Rio Grande Valley.
David Coffin is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas, an admission that covers the Southern District’s McAllen and Brownsville Divisions, the courts that handle federal tax litigation for Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron, and Willacy counties.
That matters when an IRS dispute moves from an audit into a federal lawsuit, an appeal, or a bankruptcy case involving tax debt. We work by phone, video conference, and secure document exchange, so distance from our office is rarely the obstacle clients expect.
What matters more is having someone who has spent time on both sides of a federal tax case, not a general practice attorney handling a tax matter for the first time.
What Makes This Rio Grande Valley Tax Lawyer Different
Before opening a private practice, David Coffin spent years as a trial attorney with the Department of Justice Tax Division, appearing as counsel of record in federal tax cases including TransCapital Leasing Associates v. United States and Enbridge Energy Co. v. United States.
That work earned him the DOJ Tax Division’s Award for Outstanding Attorney in 2005 and an IRS Lucite Award in 2007, both internal government recognitions from his years litigating tax cases for the United States. Coffin has been a licensed CPA in Oklahoma since 1990 and an Adjunct Professor of Federal Tax Procedure at SMU Dedman School of Law.
He has been selected to Super Lawyers every year from 2019 through 2026. For a Rio Grande Valley tax lawyer search, that mix of courtroom, accounting, and teaching background is not something you find on every letterhead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast do I need to act after getting an IRS collection notice in the Rio Grande Valley?
Once the IRS sends a Notice of Intent to Levy, you generally have 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing before wages or bank accounts can be seized. Waiting past that window narrows your options, so it helps to talk with a tax lawyer as soon as the notice arrives.
What happens if the IRS decides I’m a responsible person for unpaid payroll taxes?
The IRS can assess the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty personally against owners, officers, or anyone who controlled which bills got paid, even if the business later closes. The penalty equals 100% of the unpaid taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks, and can often be challenged on responsibility or willfulness grounds.
Do I have to travel to McAllen or Brownsville if my tax case goes to federal court?
Federal tax cases arising in Hidalgo, Starr, Cameron, or Willacy counties are generally filed in the Southern District of Texas’s McAllen or Brownsville Division. We handle filings, hearings, and appearances in those courts so clients are not left navigating an unfamiliar federal docket alone.
How much does it cost to hire a Rio Grande Valley tax lawyer?
Cost depends on whether the case involves an audit, a penalty dispute, or full tax litigation. We discuss fees upfront before any work begins, so there are no surprises once a plan is in place.
Can old tax debt be discharged in bankruptcy?
Some income tax debt can be discharged in bankruptcy if it meets specific age, filing, and assessment requirements, though trust fund payroll taxes generally cannot be discharged. We review each tax year separately before recommending that route.
Will the IRS file a lien against my house or business?
The IRS can file a Notice of Federal Tax Lien once a debt is assessed and unpaid, and it attaches to real estate, vehicles, and other property. A lien is different from a levy: it secures the government’s claim rather than seizing property outright, but it still shows up on title searches and can make it harder to sell or refinance property.
What should I bring to a first meeting about my IRS problem?
Bring every notice the IRS has sent, prior year tax returns, payroll records if a business is involved, and any correspondence already exchanged with the IRS. The more complete the picture, the faster we can identify options.
How long does it take to resolve an IRS collection case?
Simple penalty abatement requests can resolve in a few months. Cases involving Trust Fund Recovery Penalty appeals, offers in compromise, or federal tax litigation often take longer, sometimes a year or more, depending on how quickly the IRS responds and whether the matter goes to court.
If any of this sounds like where you are right now, it helps to talk it through with a Rio Grande Valley tax lawyer who has seen these cases from both sides.
Contact a Rio Grande Valley Tax Lawyer Today
IRS deadlines do not pause while you research options, and every day that passes on a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty or a wage levy narrows what can still be fixed. David Coffin PLLC has represented Texas taxpayers in front of the same federal courts and agencies where its founding attorney once worked from the other side of the table.
Contact us today to talk through your IRS problem and find out what options are still open before the next deadline arrives.
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