Written by Sam Brotman, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), MBA, CPA — Managing Attorney, Brotman Law · Updated May 2026
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Tax Problems Sam Handles for Orange County Clients
Orange County has one of the highest concentrations of high-income individuals, tech companies, and real estate investors in California — and that profile produces a specific set of IRS and state tax issues. The IRS field office serving most of OC is in Laguna Niguel, at 24000 Avila Road. The FTB district office for OC matters is in Santa Ana. Sam works with both on a regular basis.
IRS Audit Defense
IRS audits for OC taxpayers most often involve business deductions claimed by self-employed consultants and contractors, passive activity and real estate loss rules, equity compensation and deferred income for tech employees and executives in the Irvine corridor, K-1 income from partnerships and S-corporations, and high-income returns that trigger statistical screening. Brotman Law has represented 400+ clients in IRS audit defense since 2013 — correspondence audits, office exams, and field exams conducted at the Laguna Niguel IRS office.
If you've received a 30-day letter, a Form 4549 examination report, or a notice scheduling an audit appointment, that's where representation typically begins.
FTB Audit and Dispute
The FTB's Santa Ana district office handles OC residents' California income tax audits. FTB audits frequently follow federal audits — when the IRS makes an adjustment, the FTB receives notice and often opens a corresponding state examination. OC-specific FTB issues include residency disputes (particularly for individuals who split time between California and a no-income-tax state), business expense adjustments mirroring IRS findings, and unreported California-source income. See FTB audit representation for how that process works.
IRS Collections
Collection matters — installment agreements, offers in compromise, currently-not-collectible status, liens, and levies — are handled at the same IRS offices that handle audits. OC taxpayers with employment tax liabilities, trust fund recovery penalty exposure from a business, or unresolved balances from prior audit years are among the most common collection situations. Most collection work is handled remotely through your representative, with no requirement that you appear at an IRS office.
EDD Audit Defense
The California EDD conducts payroll tax audits of businesses — the primary issue being worker classification. Orange County's large technology, consulting, and real estate sectors generate a steady flow of EDD audits about whether workers should have been classified as employees rather than independent contractors. AB5 (now codified in the Labor Code) has made this more consequential, not less. EDD audit exposure includes unpaid payroll taxes, interest, and significant penalties going back three or more years.
CDTFA and Sales Tax
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration handles sales and use tax. OC businesses in retail, construction, and e-commerce are frequent CDTFA audit targets. The issues in CDTFA audits typically involve the taxability of specific product categories, use tax owed on out-of-state purchases, and discrepancies between reported sales and financial records. Our California tax attorney page covers the full range of state tax agency matters.
Criminal Tax Defense
When an IRS audit stops unexpectedly, when IRS Criminal Investigation special agents show up at a home or business, or when a grand jury subpoena arrives, the matter has moved beyond a civil dispute. OC has a concentrated population of business owners and high-income individuals who are disproportionately represented in federal tax investigations — particularly cases involving unreported offshore accounts, cash businesses, employment tax fraud at scale, and complex deduction schemes. Criminal tax cases require both attorney-client privilege and specific knowledge of IRS CI procedure, DOJ Tax Division review, and federal grand jury practice.
Serving Orange County from San Diego
San Diego and Orange County share a county line. The distance from my office in San Diego to Irvine is about 60 miles — roughly 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. South OC cities like Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Beach are closer to 45 minutes. This is a practical market for me, not a stretch.
The IRS Laguna Niguel field office at 24000 Avila Road is in South OC, close to the county line. I represent clients there regularly. The FTB's Santa Ana office is farther north, but FTB matters rarely require in-person hearings — most of the work happens through correspondence, written responses, and telephone conferences with the examiner.
In practice, the majority of IRS and FTB representation does not require either the client or the attorney to appear in person at a government office. Examination appointments, collection interviews, and appeals conferences can all be handled by your representative on your behalf. Most OC clients I work with have never needed to come to my San Diego office — though it's available when a detailed strategy meeting makes sense.
I'm licensed by the California State Bar and can represent any California taxpayer before the IRS, FTB, EDD, and CDTFA, regardless of county. For OC clients, the proximity to the Laguna Niguel IRS field office and the Santa Ana FTB district office makes in-person representation straightforward when it's needed.
The CPA-Attorney Advantage for OC Taxpayers
I hold both a California attorney license and a CPA license. That combination matters in a tax dispute in ways that a CPA alone or a lawyer alone cannot replicate.
Here's the actual issue for most OC taxpayers choosing representation: a CPA who handles your tax returns is not covered by attorney-client privilege. If the IRS or a grand jury wants to know what your accountant knows, your accountant can be compelled to testify and produce workpapers. Communications with a tax attorney, by contrast, are privileged. In any matter with potential civil fraud exposure — or any audit that could develop into a criminal referral — that distinction is not academic.
On the other side of it, a lawyer without accounting background often cannot read the underlying financial records or evaluate the tax analysis well enough to contest an examiner's adjustments on technical grounds. IRS examiners and FTB auditors know the regulations. Your representative needs to know them too.
Being both means I can work on the accounting substance and on the legal strategy at the same time. I can evaluate whether the IRS's adjustments hold up under the applicable regulations, run the numbers on an offer in compromise myself, and handle the privilege-protected strategy conversations that a CPA cannot have with a client under examination. For a high-income OC taxpayer with a complex return, that matters.
I've been doing this since 2013 from my office at 12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400, in San Diego. If you have a tax problem in Orange County and want to talk through it, the free 15-minute call is the right starting point. No commitment on either side — just a real conversation about what you're dealing with and whether I'm the right fit.
Most Orange County matters are handled entirely by phone and video. When in-person representation is needed, I appear at the IRS Laguna Niguel office or the FTB Santa Ana office on your behalf. In-person meetings at my San Diego office are available when useful — about 60 to 90 minutes from most of OC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a San Diego attorney represent Orange County taxpayers?
Yes. California attorney licenses are statewide — there is no county restriction on who you can represent. I handle IRS, FTB, EDD, and CDTFA matters for clients throughout California. The IRS field office that handles most OC cases is in Laguna Niguel, about 20 minutes from the San Diego county line. I represent clients there regularly.
Where is the IRS field office that handles Orange County cases?
The IRS field office serving most of Orange County is at 24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. This is in South OC, close to the San Diego county border. IRS examiners from this office handle field audits and collection interviews for OC taxpayers. Correspondence and office exam appointments can also be conducted by telephone or at other IRS offices, depending on the matter type.
How does an FTB audit work for an Orange County resident?
The FTB's district office for Orange County is in Santa Ana. Most FTB audits begin as correspondence audits — a notice requesting documentation for specific items on your California return. If the FTB is not satisfied with the response, the matter can escalate to a field audit conducted by an FTB auditor. You can authorize a representative to handle all FTB contact on your behalf. I handle FTB audits for OC clients through the initial notice, audit examination, protest, and appeals stages.
What Orange County cities does Sam serve?
I serve clients throughout Orange County, including Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Mission Viejo, Lake Forest, Yorba Linda, Brea, and Placentia. Most matters are handled by phone and video. In-person meetings at my San Diego office are available, or I can meet at IRS or FTB offices in OC when the case requires it.
Do I need to travel to Sam's office in San Diego?
For most matters, no. IRS and FTB examinations and appeals are handled through written submissions and hearings where I attend on your behalf. Most OC clients work with me entirely by phone and video — we exchange documents electronically, I handle all government contact, and you hear from me when there is a decision to make or information to convey. When an in-person meeting makes sense, the San Diego office is 60 to 90 minutes from most of OC, or we can meet at the relevant government office.
How much does an Orange County tax attorney cost?
It depends on the matter. IRS audit representation is typically a flat fee that reflects the audit type and complexity — correspondence audits run less than field exams. Collection matters, FTB disputes, and criminal tax defense are generally hourly or a combination. I go over fees at the start of any engagement so the arrangement is clear before we begin. The initial consultation is free.
What is the most common IRS audit issue for Orange County taxpayers?
In OC's high-income, business-heavy markets, the most common IRS audit issues are: business deductions claimed by self-employed individuals and consultants (particularly in Irvine and Newport Beach), real estate investor losses and passive activity rules, equity compensation and deferred income for tech employees and founders, and K-1 income from partnerships and S-corps. OC also has a significant number of international business owners and foreign account holders who face additional reporting obligations under FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) and FATCA. High-income individuals whose returns trigger IRS statistical screening are also a recurring category.