Vivian Hsu
Tax lawyer
I help people and small businesses in Sacramento answer the IRS, settle what they owe and get back to ordinary life.
I grew up in South Sacramento, translating letters for my parents' restaurant at the kitchen table. Some of those letters were from the IRS, and I remember how long they sat unopened.
After law school and a tax degree, I worked on audits and collection cases and learned how the IRS decides what to ask for and when to settle. I opened this practice to put that to work for the people who receive the letters.
I keep the practice small on purpose. You'll have my direct line, and I'll tell you what I think, including when I think you don't need me.
The work
- IRS audits and notices
- Tax debt and collection
- Payroll and small business tax
- Penalty relief
Admissions and education
Bar admissions
California
2009
Courts
United States Tax Court
2010
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
2010
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
2014
Education
LL.M. in Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center
2010
J.D., University of California, Davis, School of Law
2009
B.A., Economics, California State University, Sacramento
2005
Languages
English
Mandarin
Memberships
Sacramento County Bar Association, Tax Section
How I work
What you can expect from me
A plain reading first
Before anything else, I tell you what the letter says, what it doesn't, and how worried you should be.
A written quote
You get the fee in writing before work starts, stage by stage, so there are no surprises at the end.
One person on your case
I read the notices, make the calls and answer your email. No hand-offs.
Your accountant in the loop
If you have a preparer, I work with them. If you don't, I can suggest one.
Talk it through with me
A first meeting is about your letters and your options. You decide what happens next.
Please don't send tax documents, Social Security numbers or account numbers through this site.