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Internal Revenue Service Legal Administrative Specialist (Estate and Gift Tax)(Legal Specialist) in Barkersfield, California
DutiesWHAT IS THE SMALL BUSINESS/SELF EMPLOYED (SB/SE) DIVISION?A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisionsVacancies will be filled in the following specialty areas:SB/SE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER EXAMThe following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position.Conducts independent examinations of the most complex estate and gift returns with a considerable number of complex and unusual issues requiring extensive tax law research, investigation, and analysis.Determines the issues and audit techniques needed to resolve issues. Determines the nature of included assets, analyzes transactions, investigates underlying facts, evaluates the fair market value of real estate, business interests, and other type of financial and investment assets for assigned returns. The incumbent must conduct extensive legal research. The incumbent analyzes the taxpayer's legal documents to identify the transferred interest. The incumbent relies on knowledge of state laws (i.e. property, contracts, business, inheritance, and probate) to determine the application of federal estate and gift tax laws. The incumbent may need to recharacterize transactions based upon an analysis of legal instruments and fact patterns.Determines the value of transferred property using investigative and valuation techniques: including reviewing appraisals and valuation data, analyzing complicated legal documents, transactions, and case law, and applying Federal, state, and foreign laws.Coordinates with SBSE Counsel employees and IRS Office of Chief Counsel to develop audit techniques, legal arguments, and litigation strategy for significant cases with novel issues.Assists SBSE Counsel in trial preparation for estate and gift tax cases of significant importance. Contributes to Program objectives by identifying emerging issues and requesting SBSE Counsel collaboration. Collaborates with assigned SBSE Counsel to develop examination requirements and analysis to resolve the estate and gift tax impact of the emerging issue.QualificationsFederal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement OR time of referral:BASIC REQUIREMENT :All GRADES -- SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: To be eligible for this position, at any grade level, applicants must demonstrate the following: Knowledge of Legal Industry, including legal practices, federal codes and regulations, and application of complex legal principles to facts. This knowledge may be met through experience and/or education. To meet this requirement, the applicant must demonstrate the following experience: Substantive knowledge of state and federal laws, judicial decisions and precedents, legal codes, court procedures, legal practices, legal instruments and documents, government regulations, executive orders, and agency rules specific to tax administration and compliance. Exceptional skill in researching, interpreting, examining, analyzing and applying relevant state and federal laws, regulations, related statutes, and sub-regulatory guidance, sufficient to produce written reports, relevant forms, instructions, explanatory publications, legal memoranda, proposed legislation, and other materials, sufficient to address taxpayer rights and responsibilities, propose tax legislation or regulation, and issue opinions and/or decisions specific to tax administration or compliance.In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:Specialized Experience GS-11: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience working in a legal environment whereby you provided technical advice on legal requirements, conducted legal research and analysis, drafted/authored written opinions, decisions, and/or proposals on matters involving federal tax laws, rules, regulations, and practices. Experience must be sufficient to demonstrate- Knowledge of Federal tax laws, various State and foreign laws, judicial decisions, and precedents; Organizing, analyzing, and managing voluminous case information; Skill in researching and evaluating complex legal questions involving state and federal laws; Ability to reach a determination and take appropriate action to impact compliance with federal laws.ORThree (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education in Law from an Accredited College or UniversityORa Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree education in Law from an Accredited College or UniversityORan LL.M from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association OR A combination of education and experience as described above.Specialized Experience GS-12: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience working in a legal environment whereby you provided technical advice and guidance on Federal tax law requirements. Experience conducting legal research and analysis on complex Federal and State tax laws. Experience authoring legal opinions, decisions, determinations, or proposals on matters involving federal tax laws, rules, and/or regulations. Experience working with Federal, Gift, and Generation-Skipping Transfer tax laws, including Internal Revenue Code, Tax Regulations, IRS Revenue rulings and procedures and precedent decisions. Experience analyzing and adjudicating tax matters, appeals, settlement offers, or similar work related to Federal tax operations.Specialized Experience GS-13: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience interpreting and applying tax laws to Federal estate and gift tax returns and interpreting and applying tax laws, judicial decisions, and precedents to fields of law such as wills and trusts, probate, contracts, real and personal property, corporations, commercial law and insurance. Experience researching, evaluating, and responding to complex legal questions to determine tax liability pertaining to Federal estate and gift tax returns. Experience interpreting and explaining complex points of law and valuation matters to legal and factual situations and to persuade highly competent representatives concerning determinations made on tax issues and liability. Experience working with financial, professional or business accounting practices to analyze fiduciary, estate or gift assets (such as intangible factors, large corporation).Specialized Experience GS-14: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience working all aspects of Federal estate and gift taxation laws and important judicial decision and procedures. experience writing clear and concise reports and work papers that include significant tax issues, findings and analyses of legal and factual situations encountered. Experience in researching and evaluating complex legal questions to determine tax liability pertaining to Federal estate and gift tax returns; and skill in interpreting and explaining complex points of law and valuation matters to legal and factual situations and to negotiate with highly competent representatives concerning determinations made on tax issues and liability. Experience working with financial, professional or business accounting practices to analyze complex fiduciary, estate or gift assets, such as proposing adjustments for sizeable tax deficiencies (e.g., intangible factors, large corporation) resulting from investigation of the deceased estate.For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.EducationFor positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.