Taxation Lawyers

Overview

Taxation disputes move quickly and carry real financial and personal risk. Whether you are responding to an ATO audit, disputing an assessment, or structuring your affairs to comply with Australian tax law, early legal advice protects your position and preserves your options.

We work alongside your accountant to provide the legal layer of tax advice — statutory interpretation, dispute strategy, privilege, and representation in objections, reviews and appeals.

Legal services

• ATO audits and reviews — managing the audit process, responding to information requests and protecting your rights, including legal professional privilege.
• Objections and appeals — objections to assessments, review in the Administrative Review Tribunal and appeals to the Federal Court.
• Tax debt and recovery — negotiating payment arrangements, remission of interest and penalties, and responding to ATO recovery action.
• Director penalty notices — urgent advice on DPN exposure and available defences.
• GST, payroll tax and duties — disputes with federal and state revenue offices, including payroll tax grouping and stamp duty assessments.
• Tax-effective structuring — legal advice on business and investment structures, trusts and asset protection.
• Capital gains tax and small business concessions — eligibility advice and dispute resolution.

International taxation law

Cross-border tax issues are increasingly common — for individuals who live, work or invest across countries, and for businesses trading internationally. Our international taxation services include:

• Tax residency — advice and disputes on Australian tax residency for individuals and central management and control for companies.
• Double taxation agreements — applying Australia's DTA network to eliminate or reduce double taxation, including tie-breaker rules and foreign tax offsets.
• Foreign income and assets — Australian tax treatment of foreign income, foreign entities, and withholding obligations including foreign resident capital gains withholding.
• Expatriate and inbound employee tax — structuring international assignments and advising employees moving to or from Australia.
• Cross-border transactions — legal support on transfer pricing, thin capitalisation and international structuring, working with your accounting advisers.

Why Baker Merz

Legal advice, not just accounting. Disputes with revenue authorities turn on statutory interpretation, evidence and procedure — that is lawyers' work, and it is what we do.

International perspective. We advise on the cross-border dimension of tax as a core part of the practice, not an afterthought.

Works with your advisers. We collaborate with your accountant or tax agent so the legal and accounting positions are aligned.

Speak to us

For a confidential discussion about your taxation matter, call our national line on 1300 190 773 or email admin@bakermerz.com.

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