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Dennis N. Brager

Dennis N. Brager

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  • Tax Law
  • California, Central District of California
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Biography

Call (310) 208-6200 to see if you qualify for a consult with Dennis Brager, first 15 minutes FREE.

Mr. 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.

Mr. Brager's attorney firm of 15 attorneys and support staff is based in West Los Angeles. He has been featured every year from 2008-2023 as a Super Lawyer in the field of Tax by Los Angeles Magazine. He 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.

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.

Education
Certified Tax Specialist, The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
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New York University
J.D. | Law
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Pace University
B.B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
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Professional Experience
Tax Litigation Attorney
Brager Tax Law Group
- Current
IRS Senior Trial Attorney
Internal Revenue Service
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Office of District Counsel, Los Angeles, California
Publications
Articles & Publications
How Your Clients Can Lose Their Passports by Falling Behind on Their Taxes (and What to Do About It)
IRS Collection Issues: The Consequences of California Community Property
What a Practitioner Needs to Know About Tax Assessment Dates
Penalty Relief Available for Cash-Only Businesses
Marijuana Venture
IRS Tightens Inventory Rules for Marijuana Businesses
Marijuana Venture
FBAR is not Going Away--and the Filing Deadline is June 30
Association for Financial Professionals
Tax Tips for the Fledgling Indie Filmmaker to Keep the IRS Away
The Wrap
Opting out of the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP)—Five Things to Consider
If You Have a Bank Account in a Foreign Country, You May Need to File a Report with the IRS
Bridge USA
Third-Party Federal Tax Liens and Levies and How to Fight Them
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure
New 'Streamlined' FBAR Filing
Los Angeles Daily Journal
Case Finds CFOs Liable for Payroll Taxes
CFO.com
OPR: Avoid possible suspension based on client returns
Spidell's California Taxletter
Offshore Voluntary Disclosure — The Next Generation
Taxes- The Tax Magazine
Partial Offshore Tax Amnesty - Voluntary Disclosure 2.0
The Los Angeles Daily Journal
Anatomy of an OPR Case (Definitely Not R.I.P.)
Journal of Tax Practice & Procedure
FBAR and Voluntary Disclosure
Presented to California CPA Society
The Tax Gap and Voluntary Disclosure
Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure
Tax Collection Techniques
Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure
Circular 230: An Overview
Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure
Tax Issues: Damages, Rescission and Debt Cancellations as Client Income
The Consumer Advocate
IRS' Innocent-Spouse Rules Have Been Liberalized
The Daily Journal
Prevailing Party - Recovering Attorneys Fees From the IRS
The Daily Journal
Expert Advice: New Rules on 1099 Forms
California Lawyer
Bankruptcy: The Silver Bullet of Tax Defense
California Tax Lawyer
Expert Advice: Avoiding Payroll Taxes
California Lawye
Tax Brakes: The Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2
Los Angeles Lawyer
IRS Guidelines for Installment-Payment Agreements
Los Angeles Lawyer
The Innocent Spouse Defense
Los Angeles Lawyer
The Innocent Spouse Defense
Family Law News
Challenging the IRS Requires a Cohesive Strategy
Taxation for Lawyers
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights--A Small Step Toward Reigning in the IRS
Los Angeles Lawyer
How to Handle Civil and Criminal Controversies with the Internal Revenue Service, Franchise Tax Board and in Court
California Continuing Education of the Bar, Tax Procedure Institute
Taxation of Capital Assets
Golden Gate University, Masters in Taxation Program
How to Handle Tax Shelter Registration Under the 1984 Tax Reform Act
Journal of Taxation of Investments
Speaking Engagements
Responding to Adverse IRS Audit Assessments: Audit Reconsideration Requests, IRS Appeals, Settlement Strategies, Responding to Adverse IRS Audit Assessments, Webinar
Strafford Publications
This course provided tax advisers and professionals with a discussion of IRS exam hotspots. It outlined practical strategies for responding to un-favorable IRS audit results, including requesting audit reconsiderations, navigating the IRS appeals process, and the litigation options available. The participants will advised how to adequately represent and negotiate with the IRS during an audit and through the reconsideration and appeal process.
Employment Tax: Employee Retention Credits: “What’s Old Is New Again: IRS’s Renewed Focus on Employee Tax Compliance Issues, UCLA EXTENSION 38TH ANNUALTAX CONTROVERSY CONFERENCE, Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, California
UCLA Tax Institute
Dennis Brager was requested to be the Moderator at the UCLA 38th Annual Tax Controversy Conference on a panel that discussed Employment Tax, specifically related to Employee Retention Credits
Navigating the IRS Penalty Abatement Procedures for Foreign Information Reporting Noncompliance, Foreign Late Filing Notices: Effective Responses for Penalty Abatement, Webinar
Strafford Publications
This webinar examined the current state of IRS' responses to international taxpayers' requests for penalty relief for late filing of foreign information returns. Mr. Brager was invited to present as one of their astute panel of international tax experts who reviewed what constitutes reasonable cause, when first-time abatement applies, and offered insights for working with the IRS to eliminate or lessen the penalties frequently and automatically assessed to international taxpayers.
Navigating the IRS Penalty Abatement Procedures for Foreign Information Reporting Noncompliance, Strafford, Webinar
Strafford Publications
The Tax Problems Caused by COVID-19 and the Best Practices to Handle Them, UCLA Tax Controversy Conference, Webinar
UCLA
Certifications
Tax Specialist
State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization
Awards
Super Lawyer
Los Angeles Magazine
Dennis Brager has been awarded the Super Lawyer award every year from 2008 to 2021.
Professional Associations
California State Bar  # 81559
Chair of Tax Litigation and Procedure Committee
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Los Angeles County Bar Association
Chair of the Tax Compliance, Procedure and Litigation Committee
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
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Central District of California
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2nd Circuit
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5th Circuit
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9th Circuit
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11th Circuit
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U.S. Supreme Court
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U.S. Tax Court
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United States Court of Claims
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
    Contact our office to see if you qualify for our free 15 minute consultation.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
Practice Area
    Tax Law
    Business Taxes, Criminal Tax Litigation, Income Taxes, International Taxes, Payroll Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Audits
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Websites & Blogs
Website
Dennis N. Brager's Website Profile
Website
Brager Tax Law Group Website
Blog
Tax Problem Attorney Blog
Contact & Map
Brager Tax Law Group
Washington
5335 Wisconsin Ave NW #440
Washington, DC 20015
Telephone: (240) 963-3800
Brager Tax Law Group
Newport Beach
5000 Birch St West Tower
#3000
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Brager Tax Law Group
Los Angeles
12121 Wilshire Blvd
#600
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Telephone: (310) 208-6200
Fax: (310) 478-8030
Brager Tax Law Group
Woodland Hills
5850 Canoga Ave 4th Floor
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Telephone: (818) 457-9333