Charles I Cate

Charles I Cate

5.0
Rating: 7.9

Licensed for 56 years

Tax Lawyer at Arlington, VA
Practice Areas: Tax, Litigation

1600 Wilson Blvd., Suite 205, Arlington, VA

About Charles

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Tax 90%

Audits, Collections & Tax Litigation before IRS and U.S. Tax Court for individuals, businesses and tax exempt organizations.

44 years | 150 cases

90%
Litigation 10%

36 years | 300 cases

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer


Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in Virginia for 15 years

State: Virginia

Acquired: 2010

Retired

No misconduct found

Licensed in California for 50 years

State: California

Acquired: 1975

Inactive

No misconduct found

Licensed in District of Columbia for 56 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 1970

Administratively Suspended - Non-Payment of Dues

No misconduct found

Location

Cate Law Firm

1600 Wilson Blvd., Suite 205, Arlington, VA, 22209

Hannon Law Group (Of Counsel)

1901 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20009

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Charles I Cate's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

4 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (4) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 4
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews

Posted by Trish | May 19, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Tax

Very experienced attorney

I have a small business and my tax situation was about 1099 vs. W-2. After talking to several attorneys in the area, some advised me to accept the IRS decision because they’ve seen the unfavorable outcome of my situation. Of course hearing that made me stress out even more, but I didn’t give up my ...hope in searching for the right lawyer. Finally, I found Charles on google search, and from my first conversation with Charles to my last, I can say that I’ve made the right decision in hiring Charles to represent me. He is firm, clear, succinct, and confident. After I shared my situation, and signed the power of attorney, I felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted off my shoulder… I am truly overwhelmed with Charles’ deep & wide knowledge from estates, wills, trusts, to white collar crime, to investment broker, and not to mention that formerly he was an IRS attorney. I couldn’t say enough about his expertise and life experiences that added tremendous value in representing me. Fortunately, the outcome was favorable and what a big relieve and of course all the credits go to Charles. So glad I found him to represent me!!!

Posted by Barry | April 18, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Tax

Excellent service and professionalism

As a government employee and veteran, I take my tax obligation to my country very seriously. My wife and I were involved in a very tedious and complex tax situation requiring involvement by CPA's and tax attorneys. Charles experience with IRS was a determining factor in his selection by us. We called... several other attorneys with similar experience but only one other even returned our call and they did not have time for individual returns. Well, long story short, Charles researched our situation and wrote an opinion letter to the IRS that confirmed the information provided by the CPA's. My wife and I were under extreme stress but Charles positive manner was our main source of comfort throughout this period. All I can say is that if you live in Northern Virginia and especially if you are a veteran, and you have any difficult tax issues, do yourself a favor and contact Charles Cate. I seldom provide feedback to anyone but I am so pleased with his professionalism, I feel I must share it with others. if you are reading this and need tax advice you should call Charles right away.

Posted by Beverly Coyle | September 20, 2015 | Hired Attorney | Tax

Extraordinary Attorney

After two years, working with other attorney’s out of state who spent unnecessary hours dickering without resolution, Attorney Charles Cate was willing and able to accept my inquiry and proved to be extremely helpful in my time of need. Attorney Cate efficiently and effectively sifted through the ...chaff and brought clarity by defining and heightening the interplay of differences between applicable tax laws and regulations. He planned a strategy to minimize my tax liability and was able to interpret and communicate the underlying laws to the other attorneys, bringing the case closer to resolution. Attorney Cate was able to illuminate the issue through his active listening, dedication to research and investment in my best interest. I cannot speak highly enough about him other than to say Charles Cate is by far the “Best” attorney I have ever hired. His honesty and integrity coupled with his professional knowledge brought peace to a very unsettled heart and head. If you are in search of a tax attorney who is professional, knowledgeable and will work in your best interest, then Attorney Charles Cate is the man!

Posted by Brian | June 15, 2015 | Tax

Charles represents the two veterans' organizations of which I am the President; I give him my unqualified recommendation.

Congratulations! Since you have found the web site for Charles Cate and are probably looking for a lawyer, your search is over; you have no need to look any further. For over four years, Charles has represented me personally and the two nationwide veterans' organizations of which I am the Presiden...t. Charles is a consummate, knowledgeable and extremely savvy legal professional. He knows perplexing, arcane tax law inside and out. He is fast and adroit in researching legal issues. He is a master of writing a succinct, clear and compelling letter representing your best interests. He is a wily negotiator on the phone, and I have found that when he shows up in person, invariably good things happen. Charles knows how to talk to the IRS; he knows how to negotiate with the IRS. He understands the mentality of the IRS. He used to work for the IRS; he knows how they think, what will work and what will not. I have learned he knows how to present the strongest case possible. The veterans' organizations that I lead have high visibility and hard earned credibility. Our veterans' groups have personally sponsored events where I have introduced over 100 Members of the United States Congress. Our publication has published original articles done just for us by two sitting Presidents, four major party candidates for President, 14 Cabinet Secretaries, over 20 Presidential appointees from the Department of Defense, and over 130 U. S. Senators, Congressmen and Congresswomen. We have no room for error. Strict compliance is paramount to us. Charles has guided us through challenges large and small. In the short and long run, he has saved us many thousands of dollars. Charles does the job for the optimum minimum of time. On any hourly fee basis, he will not expend an extra minute on a case where it is not required. Long ago, I stopped even scrutinizing his carefully documented invoices, where he indicates what he did and how long he took to arrive at the final bill. After a while, I found there was no need, I just look at the bottom line and know we are getting great value from his services. I know he has a wide practice beyond tax law. Should he decide to represent you, he will protect you, sooth your nerves if need be and allow you to get back to your business, knowing that your issues will be handled. Charles is highly credentialed and up to date on the many issues that arise in his practice. He is a decorated Army Officer who served in Vietnam. He is man of strong character and good humor. A big plus in having him represent you, is that it is always a pleasure to coordinate and communicate with him. Again, Congratulations to you for finding Charles Cate. I give him my unqualified recommendation.

See All Client Reviews

Charles I Cate's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Charles
Daniel S. Crowley headshot
Daniel Crowley

Tax lawyer | Aug 19

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked with Mr. Cate on a number of cases and found him to be extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend his services."

Julia Jane Wills Ovando headshot
Julia Ovando

Tax lawyer | Jul 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Cate is an exceptional tax attorney! He is patient and courteous to his clients, meticulously preparing their cases for a vigorous defense from the IRS."

View All Endorsements
Joseph Michael Hannon Jr. headshot
Joseph Hannon

Litigation lawyer

Daniel S. Crowley headshot
Daniel Crowley

Litigation lawyer

Frank John Rooney headshot
Frank Rooney

Tax lawyer

Thomas Kipkorir Kirui headshot
Thomas Kirui

Immigration lawyer

Julia Jane Wills Ovando headshot
Julia Ovando

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.9 (Very Good)

Honors

1971

Bronze Star Medal, U.S. Army Vietnam

Work Experience

2010 - Present

Attorney at Law, The Cate Law Firm

2006 - 2010

Attorney, Hannon Law Group

1991 - 2006

Attorney at Law, The Cate Law Firm

1990 - 1991

Chief Financial Officer, American Transportation Television Network- ATTN

1985 - 1990

Investment Broker, Cate Financial Services

1981 - 1985

Financial Planner/Broker, Heritage Financial Group

1979 - 1981

Attorney/Partner, Cate & Rooney

1975 - 1979

Attorney/Tax Law specialist, Internal Revenue Service-Exempt Organizations

1972 - 1975

Photographer, Tonica Studios, S.F., CA

1970 - 1972

Intelligence Officer, United States Army Active Duty

Associations

American Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

Offer in Compromise

$450,000 settled for $843

IRS Liability

$900,000 settled for $324,000.

See More Legal Cases

Education

1979

Georgetown University Law Center

LLM-Taxation

1978

George Washington University

23 Credits

1968

Catholic U of Amer Columbus SOL

JD - Juris Doctor

1966

Georgetown University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution