Former IRS Senior Trial Attorney & California State Bar Certified Tax Specialist. Call (310) 208-6200 to see if you qualify for a consult with Dennis Brager, first 15 minutes FREE.
Dennis Brager is a California State Bar Certified Tax Specialist and a former Senior Trial Attorney for the Internal Revenue Service's Office of Chief Counsel. In addition to representing the IRS in the United States Tax Court, he advised the Service on complex civil and criminal tax issues.
He now has his own five-attorney firm in West Los Angeles, and has been featured every year from 2008-2021 as a Super Lawyer in the field of Tax by Los Angeles Magazine. Dennis Brager has filed cases in the United States Tax Court on behalf of over 320 taxpayers.
Mr. Brager has limited his practice to representing clients having criminal and civil tax disputes with the IRS, the Franchise Tax Board, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (formerly the State Board of Equalization), and the Employment Development Department--both at trial and administrative levels.
He has been quoted as a tax expert by US News and World Report, Business Week, Fox News, CMDA, National Journal, Fox Business, Trusts & Estates, New York Daily News, Bloomberg Politics, the Daily Journal, The Daily Beast, USA Today, the Los Angeles Daily Journal, Tax Analyst, The Chicago Tribune, CNN Money, Bloomberg BNA, Cannabis Daily, Morning Star, Accounting Today, Sputnik, Tax Notes Today, Tech Times, and The National Law Journal.
He has appeared on ABC Television’s Good Morning America, and ABC 7’s Eyewitness News, Fox Business News, TV One Access, and radio stations KFGO, KGSN, KFNX’s A Call to Rights with Steven Kates, KFWB Money 101, and KABC’s The Larry Elder Show.
Mr. Brager has also spoken and given webinars before the IRS sponsored Nationwide Tax Forum, the California Continuing Education of the Bar, the California Society of CPAs, the UCLA Tax Controversy Institute, the California State Bar Tax Section, the Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, the California Trial Lawyers Association, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the American Bar Association, the Warner Center Estate and Tax Planning Council, the National Association of Enrolled Agents, and the Orange County Tax Bar Association.
Dennis Brager has been an instructor at Golden Gate University's Masters in Taxation Program and a guest speaker at the University of Southern California. Mr. Brager has also testified as an expert witness on Federal tax matters.
His articles have appeared in the California Lawyer, Marijuana Venture, Daily Journal, Taxation for Lawyers, Los Angeles Lawyer, The Consumer Advocate, Family Law News, California Tax Lawyer, Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure, Journal of Taxation of Investments, and Accounting Today.
They include “Offshore Voluntary Disclosure – The Next Generation,” “Partial Offshore Tax Amnesty – Voluntary Disclosure 2.0,” “Anatomy of an OPR Case (Definitely Not R.I.P.),” “FBAR and Voluntary Disclosure,” “The Tax Gap and Voluntary Disclosure,” “Circular 230: An Overview,” “Recent Developments in Tax Procedure,” “Damages, Rescission and Debt Cancellation as Client Income,” “The Taxpayer Bill of Rights--A Small Step Toward Reining in the IRS,” “Challenging the IRS Requires a Cohesive Strategy,” “The Innocent Spouse Defense,” “IRS Guidelines for Installment-Payment Agreements,” “IRS Tightens Inventory Rules for Marijuana Businesses,” “What a Practitioner Needs to Know About Tax Assessment Dates,” “IRS Collection Issues: The Consequences of California Community Property,” and “How Your Clients Can Lose Their Passports by Falling Behind on Their Taxes”.
Mr. Brager received his undergraduate degree from Pace University (B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1975, Accounting/Finance), and his law degree from New York University (J.D., 1978). He is a former chair of both the Tax Compliance, Procedure and Litigation Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the California State Bar Tax Procedure and Litigation Committee.
He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Second, Fifth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Claims Court, U.S. Tax Court, the District Court, and the Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
Practice areas
44 years
44 years
Languages spoken
English, Spanish
Brager Tax Law Group A Professional Corporation
12121 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA, 90025
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
CA | Active | 1978 | 06/18/2022 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2021 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2020 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2019 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2018 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2017 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2016 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2015 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2014 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2013 |
Super Lawer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2012 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2011 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2010 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2009 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2008 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2007 |
Super Lawyer | Los Angeles Magazine | 2006 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Founder | Brager Tax Law Group | 1987 - Present |
Senior Tax Attorney | Internal Revenue Service, Office of Chief Counsel | 1978 - 1984 |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Beverly Hills Bar Association | Member | N/A |
Los Angeles County Bar Association | Member | N/A |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute Planning Committee | Member | 2003 - 2016 |
Tax Litigation and Procedure Committee, CA State Bar | Chairman | 1999 - 2000 |
Tax Section, Tax Compliance, Procedure and Litigation Committee, Los Angeles County Bar Association | Chairman | 1997 - 1998 |
Tax Section, Tax Compliance Procedure and Litigation Committee, Los Angeles County Bar Association | Officer | 1995 - 1996 |
Small Firm and Sole Practitioner Section, LA County Bar Association | Chairman | 1993 - 1994 |
Small Firm and Sole Practitioner Section, Beverly Hills and LA County Tax Section | Chairman | 1993 - 1994 |
Tax Section, Tax Compliance Procedure and Litigation Committee | Officer | 1990 - 1990 |
Client Relations Committee, LA County Bar Association | Vice-Chairman | 1980 - 1984 |
Publication name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
CCH's Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | How Your Clients Can Lose Their Passports by Falling Behind on Their Taxes (and What to Do About It) | 2019 |
CCH's Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | IRS Collection Issues: The Consequences of California Community Property | 2017 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | What a Practitioner Needs to Know About Tax Assessment Dates | 2016 |
Association for Financial Professionals | FBAR Is Not Going Away--and the Filing Deadline is June 30 | 2015 |
Marijuana Venture | IRS Tightens Inventory Rules for Marijuana Businesses | 2015 |
Marijuana Venture | Penalty Relief Available for Cash-Only Businesses | 2015 |
The Wrap | Tax Tips for the Fledgling Indie Filmmaker to Keep the IRS Away | 2014 |
Bridge USA | If You Have a Bank Account in a Foreign Country, You May Need to File a Report with the IRS | 2013 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | Third-Party Federal Tax Liens and Levies and How to Fight Them | 2013 |
CFO.com | Case Finds CFOs Liable for Payroll Taxes | 2012 |
Los Angeles Daily Journal | New 'streamlined' FBAR filing | 2012 |
Taxes - The Tax Magazine (CCH) | Offshore Voluntary Disclosure — The Next Generation | 2011 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | “Anatomy of an OPR Case (Definitely Not R.I.P.)" | 2011 |
The Los Angeles Daily Journal | “Partial Offshore Tax Amnesty – Voluntary Disclosure 2.0" | 2011 |
Spidell's California Taxletter | OPR: Avoid Possible Suspension Based on Client Returns | 2011 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | The Tax Gap and Voluntary Disclosure | 2007 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | "Tax Collection Techniques" | 2006 |
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure | Circular 230: An Overview | 2006 |
The Consumer Advocate | Tax Issues: Damages, Recission and Debt Cancellation as Client Income | 2004 |
Daily Journal | 'IRS' Innocent-Spouse Rules Have Been Liberalized | 1999 |
Daily Journal | Prevailing Party - Recovering Attorneys Fees From the IRS | 1998 |
California Lawyer Magazine | Expert Advice: New Rules on 1099 Forms | 1998 |
Los Angeles Lawyer | Too Many 1099 Forms | 1998 |
California Lawyer Magazine | Expert Advice: Avoiding Payroll Taxes | 1997 |
California Tax Lawyer Magazine | Bankruptcy: The Silver Bullet of Tax Defense | 1997 |
Los Angeles Lawyer | IRS Guidelines for Installment-Payment Agreements | 1996 |
Los Angeles Lawyer | Tax Brakes: The Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2 | 1996 |
Los Angeles Lawyer | The Innocent Spouse Defense | 1995 |
Family Law News (California State Bar Family Law Section) | The Innocent Spouse Defense | 1993 |
Los Angeles Daily Journal | Drawing IRS Ire, Practitioner Praise | 1992 |
Taxation for Lawyers | Challenging the IRS Requires a Cohesive Strategy | 1991 |
Los Angeles Lawyer | The Taxpayer Bill of Rights--A Small Step Toward Reigning in the IRS | 1989 |
Journal of Taxation of Investments | How to Handle Tax Shelter Registration Under the 1984 Tax Reform Act | 1985 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
New York University School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1978 |
Pace University | B.B.A. | 1975 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
UCLA Tax Controversy Conference | The Tax Problems Caused by COVID-19 and the Best Practices to Handle Them | 2020 |
Lorman | Tips and Techniques for Dealing With the IRS Exam and Collections Divisions | 2020 |
2016 ABA Section of Taxation May Meeting | Review of Notices of Determination-IRS Collection Due Process Hearings | 2016 |
Bloomberg BNA | Offshore Voluntary Disclosure: A Brief Guide to the Various IRS' Programs | 2015 |
Bloomberg BNA | Eggshell Audits: Keeping Your Client Out of Jail | 2015 |
Strafford Publications | Streamlined Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program: Avoiding Aggressive Enforcement | 2015 |
IRS Nationwide Tax Forum | Primer on International Forms | 2015 |
Strafford Publications | Navigating the IRS Penalty Abatement Procedures for Foreign Information | 2015 |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute | Comprehensive Review of Assessment Statutes of Limitation | 2015 |
State Bar of California, Taxation Section | International Tax Audit & Appeals Including Statute of Limitations in the International Context | 2015 |
Marijuana Business Conference | Minimizing the 280E Bite, Dealing with the IRS & Preparing for an Audit | 2015 |
ABA Criminal Tax Fraud | Tune in for Dialing for Dollars: What You Need to Know to Advise Your Clients | 2014 |
Orange County Bar Association | Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program | 2014 |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute | DIALING FOR DOLLARS: THE IRS COLLECTION PROCESS | 2014 |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute | Tax Collection Techniques: Money Still Talks! | 2013 |
30th Annual ABA National Institute Criminal Tax Fraud | Innocent Spouse Relief | 2013 |
University of Southern California 2012 Tax Institute | Top Tax Practice Tips and Representation Strategies: Offshore Accounts - Quick Tips | 2012 |
CA Society of CPAs, Hollywood/Beverly Hills Discussion Group | Offshore Voluntary Disclosure 2.0 Amnesty Part 2, Your Client's Last Chance? | 2011 |
Choi and Partners, LLC | Seminar on Foreign Bank Account Reporting | 2011 |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute | E-Filers Beware | 2011 |
University of Southern California Tax Research | Tax Practice and Procedue: Working With (and Against) the IRS | 2010 |
Whittier Law School | 2010 Annual Income Tax Seminar: California Residency - A Primer | 2010 |
UCLA Tax Controversy Institute | IRS Office of Professional Responsibility | 2010 |
Warner Center Estate and Tax Planning Council | Foreign Bank Account Reporting: It's Not Just for Tax Cheats | 2009 |
California Society of CPAs - Tax Section Meeting | Foreign Bank Account Reports and Voluntary Disclosure | 2009 |
California Society of CPAs: Beverly Hills/Hollywood CPA Discussion Group | Foreign Bank Accounts, the Global Economy and Voluntary Disclosure | 2009 |
Singer Lewak Accounting & Consulting | Foreign Bank Accounts and Voluntary Disclosure | 2009 |
California Society CPA 2007 Annual Income/Other Tax Seminar | Federal Tax Collection Update - The Rules Have Changed | 2007 |
Annual Meeting of the California Tax Bar and California Tax Policy Conference | Transferee Liability | 2007 |
Annual Meeting of the State Bar of California | Innocent Spouse: Urband Legend or Viable Option | 2006 |
Annual Meeting of the California Tax Bar and California Tax Policy Conference | Appeal of EDD Audits | 2006 |
Annual Meeting of the California Tax Bar and California Tax Policy Conference | Handling a Sales Tax Audit by the California State Board of Equalization | 2004 |
Taxation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association | Recent Developments in Tax Procedure: What You Don't Know May be Malpractice | 2004 |
National Association of Enrolled Agents Tri-Chapter Year End Seminar | What to Do When the IRS Says No–Administrative Remedies | 1994 |
California Continuing Education of the Bar, Tax Procedure Institute | How to Handle Civil and Criminal Controversies with the Internal Revenue Service, Franchise Tax Board and in Court | 1987 |
Golden Gate University, Masters in Taxation Program | Taxation of Capital Assets | 1986 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
RI UNLIMITED, INC. v. Commissioner of IRS, TC Memo 2010-205 | IRS Conceded. Tax Court Awarded Attorneys Fees |
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Norman Goodman, Tax Attorney on May 26, 2010
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
This lawyer has handled some tough cases for my clients, and achieved great results
Quinn Disparte, Tax Attorney on Jul 1, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer.
John Kent, Tax fraud and tax evasion Attorney on Jul 30, 2013
Relationship: Worked for lawyer
I endorse this lawyer.
Richard Stack, Tax fraud and tax evasion Attorney on Jun 12, 2013
Relationship: Worked for lawyer
I endorse this lawyer.
Howard Rosenblatt, Tax fraud and tax evasion Attorney on Jun 12, 2013
Relationship: Worked for lawyer
I endorse this lawyer.
Roger Glienke, Tax fraud and tax evasion Attorney on Jun 12, 2013
Relationship: Co-worker
I endorse this lawyer.
Richard Gould-Saltman, Tax Attorney on Apr 12, 2013
Relationship: Worked together on matter
Gave my extremely worried client extremely helpful advice about a complex, and potential disastrous, tax problem. A recognized expert among experts.
Ayuban Tomas, Tax Attorney on Jun 20, 2010
Relationship: Other
I endorse this lawyer's work. Just take a look at his answers on Avvo and you'll see how knowledgeable he is on the law.
Norman Goodman, Tax Attorney on May 26, 2010
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
This lawyer has handled some tough cases for my clients, and achieved great results
Igor Drabkin, Tax Attorney on Aug 29, 2008
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
I endorse this lawyer's work.