Tax Attorney Serving Maryland, D.C., and Virginia
Stephen Thienel is a tax attorney serving Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, handling tax planning, tax return preparation, IRS audits, and state tax disputes.
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Tax planning, return preparation, compliance, and defense for individuals and businesses across the DMV, handled by one attorney with an LL.M. in Taxation.
A tax attorney earns their keep twice: before a decision, by structuring it so the tax cost is known and controlled, and after a notice arrives, by standing between you and the taxing authority. Thienel Law, PLLC provides both kinds of counsel to individuals and business owners across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Stephen Thienel holds an LL.M. in Taxation and personally handles tax planning, tax return preparation, and IRS audits and disputes, alongside the business and estate practices those questions touch. That range matters in this region, where one household or company can owe returns in two or three jurisdictions with different rules. One attorney who sees the whole picture beats three who each see a slice.
What does a tax attorney do for clients in the DMV?
A tax attorney advises on the tax consequences of decisions before they are made and represents taxpayers when a federal or state authority questions a position, audits a return, or assesses a liability. The work spans planning, compliance, and defense, and it is legal work: interpreting statutes, applying them to your facts, and advocating when the government disagrees. Unusually for a law practice, Stephen also prepares tax returns, so the planning, the filing, and any defense can sit with the same advisor.
Stephen’s tax clients include business owners choosing structures and exits, professionals and executives with equity and multi-state income, families planning transfers of wealth, and taxpayers who simply received a letter they do not know how to answer. What they share is a need for advice that connects the tax question to the business or estate decision underneath it.
What can a tax problem cost you if it is handled late?
Tax problems compound quietly. An entity elected without tax advice repeats its cost every filing year. A notice left unanswered hardens into an assessment, and penalties and interest keep accruing while the envelope sits in a drawer. By the time most people call a lawyer, the question has shifted from how to avoid the problem to how much of it can still be unwound.
Planning failures work the same way in reverse. The sale of a business, the exercise of equity, a large retirement distribution: these are one-time events, and their tax treatment is usually fixed the moment the documents are signed. The least expensive time to involve a tax attorney is before the signature, not after the notice.
Why Work With Thienel Law, PLLC on a Tax Matter
Many professionals prepare returns. Far fewer combine legal training, advanced tax credentials, and coverage of every DMV jurisdiction in one practice:
- An LL.M. in Taxation, applied daily. Stephen’s advanced degree in tax law is not a plaque on the wall. It is the discipline behind how he structures formations, transactions, and estate plans so the tax consequences are deliberate rather than discovered.
- One attorney for three tax systems. Licensed in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, Stephen gives clients whose income, property, or business crosses a state line a single, consistent source of advice.
- Tax, business, and estate law under one roof. A tax question rarely arrives alone. Because Stephen also practices business and estate law, the answer accounts for the deal and the succession plan, not just the return.
- Direct access, modern practice. You work with Stephen himself, through secure document sharing, electronic signatures, online meetings, and online billing.
- Clear terms before the work begins. Most planning and compliance matters are handled at a flat, agreed rate, so you know the cost before the work starts.
Decades of tax practice, an economics background, and a client list that has stayed for twenty years: that is the case for making one call instead of three.
What should you expect when you bring Steve a tax question?
The relationship starts with a free 30-minute consultation. It is a fit conversation, not a strategy session: Stephen learns what you need, explains how he works, and you both decide whether working together makes sense. If you are ready to hire a tax attorney, that is the place to start, and you talk with Stephen himself rather than an intake screener.
From there, the matter runs on modern tools: secure uploads instead of paper, electronic signatures instead of mail, and online meetings instead of a drive around the Beltway. Businesses that want a tax-trained lawyer available all year often move to a fractional general counsel arrangement after the first engagement.
How do tax rules differ across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia?
The DMV looks like one market, but it is three tax systems, and the differences bite. The sharpest example sits in the District: Washington, D.C. levies a franchise tax on the taxable income of unincorporated businesses, subject to statutory exemptions. Profits an owner might expect to be taxed only once, on a personal return, can be taxed to the business first.
The dispute clocks differ too, and they are short. In Maryland, an appeal of a final assessment goes to the Maryland Tax Court, generally within 30 days after the notice is mailed. In Virginia, a taxpayer may apply to the Tax Commissioner for correction of an assessment within 90 days, and a notice of intent to file generally pauses collection while that window runs.
Each jurisdiction also runs its own tax administration, from the Comptroller of Maryland to Virginia’s Department of Taxation to the District’s tax office, each with its own procedures. Stephen works across all of them, and with the IRS, so a multi-state tax life gets one coordinated answer.
Which tax services does Thienel Law offer?
Stephen handles the firm’s tax work himself. Each service area has its own page:
Tax planning
Structuring income, transactions, and investments before the tax cost locks in
Learn moreBusiness tax
Counsel on entity selection, elections, and the tax side of operating decisions
Learn moreTax compliance
And tax return preparation, handled in-house for individuals and businesses with multi-state filing questions
Learn moreIRS audit and tax controversy
Representation in examinations, appeals, and disputes
Learn moreTax resolution
Back taxes, liens, and negotiated payment arrangements
Learn moreTax questions rarely stay in their lane, so many clients also rely on Stephen for business law and estate planning, where the tax analysis is built in rather than referred out.
What clients say about working with Steve
I have worked with Steve Thienel for more than 20 years now and the experience has been amazing. Steve and his team are very thorough, they review all sides of a situation, and are very measured in how they approach a solution. They are 100% client focused and a pleasure to work with!
Throughout years, Steve has been my go to guy for business, real estate, and legal work. Steve works fast and is highly reliable. I would recommend Steve to anyone.
Received expert advice including options when applicable. Filings were timely and I was kept informed each step of the way. First class service!!!
I have been receiving services from Mr. Thienel for over 15 years. I have found his legal services to be of exceptionally high value and quality. His services are always timely, professional and thorough!
Reviews are published as given. Thienel Law does not offer compensation for reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a tax attorney or a CPA?
With Stephen, you may not need both. He practices tax law and also prepares tax returns, so planning, filing, and any dispute can sit with one advisor, with the protection of attorney-client privilege. When a client already has an accountant, Stephen works alongside them.
Can Stephen handle both IRS and state tax problems?
Yes. Stephen represents taxpayers before the IRS and in state tax matters across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, where he is licensed in all three jurisdictions. That matters when a federal adjustment triggers state consequences, or the reverse.
When should I bring in a tax attorney?
Before the decision or at the first notice, whichever comes first. Tax treatment is usually fixed when documents are signed, and response windows on assessments are short, so early advice preserves options that disappear later.
Do I have to come to an office?
No. The firm is based in Alexandria, Virginia, and serves clients across the DMV through secure online meetings, document sharing, and electronic signatures. Most tax matters are handled entirely remotely.
Get a Straight Answer on Your Tax Question
If you are ready to put a tax attorney on your side, whether for a transaction, your returns, or a notice, the next step is simple. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with Stephen and find out whether working together is the right fit.
- Tell Steve about your matter
- Pick a time that works