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Get to Know Chaya

Biography

Chaya Kundra is both a tax litigator and tax advisor who works aggressively to solve current tax concerns and prevent future tax problems. Her clients include powerful U.S. and international businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and individuals. Tax Attorney Chaya Kundra routinely guides her clients through sensitive and complex tax situations including disclosing to the IRS before they contact you, reporting of foreign assets and income, employment tax balances owed and resolving the matter for both the company and the responsible parties, tax audits, appealing tax determinations with managers and the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, Collection Due Process Rights and arguing before Tax and federal courts on tax matters, the federal priority statute as well as tax collection issues such as tax liens, levies, subordinations and the inability to make payment.

With over 30 years of experience in working with the IRS and State taxing authorities, Ms. Kundra is known for her impressive track record. She creatively solves uncertain and complex tax problems and has successfully argued as well as settled a wide variety of civil and criminal tax cases, which include legal tax audits, foreign and U.S. voluntary disclosures, international tax compliance matters, employment tax disclosures, sales and use tax assessments and disclosures, non-profit and divorce tax issues. She crafts resolutions that fit her client’s specific needs and goals. Attorney Kundra’s innovative approaches have even included her having the tax law changed to reduce her client’s tax burden. Tax Attorney Chaya Kundra also advises accountants and CPAs on complicated extrapolations and disclosures related to prior year returns, disclosure compliance, and necessary disclaimers. Much of this entails a forensic analysis to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Understanding that her clients require excellence, Attorney Kundra works tirelessly to attain the optimal results for her clients. She has an expansive history of successfully remedying the most intricate tax situations for her clients with the utmost efficiency and incomparable fortitude. Her prior work experience includes service with the federal government on money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act matters.

A dynamic speaker, Ms. Kundra regularly presents and most recently spoke on changes in the overall tax landscape due to COVID, as well as speaking on topics such as increased enforcement in Employment Tax Matters, IRS Practice and Procedure, International Tax Obligations, and Substantial Compliance with Foreign Disclosures. Her audiences frequently include members of the American Bar Association’s Tax Section, the Maryland Advanced Tax Institute, the State and County Bar Association, and national/international organizations. For the past 20-plus years, Ms. Kundra has consistently been recognized as one of the top lawyers in taxation.

Ms. Kundra received her Juris Doctorate from the Washington College of Law at the American University in 1994 and her Bachelor’s degree in Finance at Loyola University in Maryland in 1991.

Education

  • American University, Washington College of Law, Washington, District of Columbia

    • J.D.

Bar Admission

  • Maryland

  • U.S. District Court District of Maryland

  • U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia

  • U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit

  • U.S. Tax Court

  • District of Columbia

  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Abridged List of Published Works

  • Monthly Tax Article for Montgomery County Bar Journal since 2020 to present

  • Article, Journal of Tax Practice and Procedure, June 2010

  • IRS Fails to Nab Payroll Cheats, FinancialWeek.com, August 25, 2008

  • Life Cycle of a Federal Tax Controversy - JOURNAL OF TAX PRACTICE & PROCEDURE, December 2006 - January 2007

  • Taxation Section Monthly Newsletter for the Montgomery County Bar Association, 2006

  • Life Cycle of a Federal Tax Controversy - Maryland Bar Journal, November 2006

Abridged List of Honors

  • Maryland Super Lawyers Selectee; 2009, 2021 - 2025

  • Martindale-Hubbell; Distinguished Rating; 2024 - 2025

  • AVVO; Top Rated Lawyers, Superb Rating; 2021 - 2025

  • America’s Most Honored Lawyers; 2020 - 2025

  • America's Top 50 Lawyer, Tax Law, Maryland; 2025

  • Top Attorneys in Maryland, Baltimore Magazine; 2021, 2023, 2025

  • BCG, Top Law Firm; 2024

  • Washington DC’s Top Attorney by Washington DC Magazine; 2024

  • America’s Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys; 2024

  • Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms in America; 2014 - 2024

  • Best Lawyers; 2013 - 2024

  • Best Lawyers, Women In The Law; 2017 - 2020, 2022, 2024

  • Top Attorneys, SM Network; 2023, 2024

  • Best Lawyers in America, Maryland; 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

  • Best Lawyers in America, Washington D.C.; 2019, 2020

  • Top Attorneys, Bethesda Magazine; 2019

  • Best Lawyers In Washington, D.C., The Wall Street Journal; 2019

  • Fortune Women Leaders in the Law; 2013 - 2015

  • Acquisition International Finance Awards Tax Law Firm of the Year – Maryland; 2014

  • Washington DC’s Women Leaders in the Law; 2012

  • National Association of Entrepreneurship 2011 First Generation Entrepreneur of the Year

  • American Registry, Recognize Excellence

  • Named NAPEW Woman of the Year

Sample Classes & Seminars

*All classes held at either the ABA Tax Section, AICPA, MD Advance Tax Institute, Bar Associations in Maryland, Florida, DC, Alabama, NE Tax Conference, Montgomery County Bar Association and Stafford Webinars

  • Employment Tax Update, 2023

  • Employment Tax Issues & Opportunities Impacting M&A Transactions, 2023

  • Employment Taxes & Protecting the Business Owner from Liability, 2022

  • Tax Webinar, Form 5472, 2022

  • Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) Compliance, 2022

  • Foreign Late Filing Notices: Effective Responses for Penalty Abatement, 2022

  • Employment Taxes & Protecting the Business Owner from Liability, 2022

  • What Business Owners Need To Do When Closing Their Doors For Good And The IRS, 2022

  • Sales Tax Holiday Reminder, 2022

  • I can’t pay my tax bill: What are my options? 2022

  • Tax Webinar on Form 5472, 2022

  • Foreign Late Filing Notices: Effective Responses for Penalty Abatement, 2022

  • Form 5472 Penalties, 2022

  • Bar of Montgomery County – Immigration Expatriation & Taxes, 2022

  • Maryland – Obligations at Death: I Owe What, 2022

  • Strafford Publications CLE Webinar: Substantially Complete Standards for Foreign Information Reporting, 2022

  • Form 5471 Penalties, 2021

  • Advanced Tax Institute: Current Tax Issues & Business Tax Update – IRS Procedures, 2021

  • Bar Association of Montgomery County-Immigration Section, 2021

  • The Substantial Compliance Rules For Forms 5471/International Filing Requirements, 2021

  • Navigating the IRS Priority Statute

  • PPP Loan Fraud & Employment Taxes

  • Federal Tax Practice and Procedure, Maryland Advanced Tax Institute – Panelist, 11/03/2008

  • Preparer Penalties, Maryland Advanced Tax Institute – Panelist, 11/03/2008

  • Important Income Tax Aspects of Bankruptcy & Foreclosure, Montgomery County, MD Bar Foundation – Panelist and Moderator, 09/17/2008

  • Seminar, The Update on Employment Taxes – ABA CLE Seminar, 2009

  • Collection Due Process; Why, When and Taking it to Court District of Columbia Bar, 2009

  • Panelist, Preparer Penalties, Maryland Advanced Tax Institute, 2008

  • Panelist, Federal Tax Practice and Procedure Update, Maryland Advanced Tax Institute, 2008

  • Panelist and Moderator, Taxation on Discharge of Indebtedness, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, 2008

  • Worker Classification / Responsible Party, MD State Bar Annual Meeting, 2008

  • Important Income Tax Aspects of Bankruptcy & Foreclosure, Montgomery County Bar, 2008

  • Ethical Considerations in a Buy/Sell Business, 2008

  • Preparer Penalties 2008 Montgomery County Bar Spring, 2008

  • Important Income Tax Aspects of Marriage & Divorce, 2007

  • The Nuts & Bolts of Payroll Taxes, 2006

  • Pass-through Entities, 2006

  • Tax Increase and Reconciliation Action of 2005 HR 4297

  • Seminar, Federal Tax Practice and Worker Classification, 2005

  • The IRS Dirty Dozen Tax Schemes, 2005

  • Annual Program on Tax Updates for MD State Bar Annual Meeting, 2005 to 2008

  • How to Stay out of the IRS Frying Pan, 2004

Professional Associations

  • Alan J. Goldstein American Inns of Court, Member

  • American Bar Association, Civil and Criminal Penalties, Member

  • American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, Member

  • Federal Bar Association

  • U.S. Tax Court’s Inns of Court

  • Fee Dispute Committee for Montgomery County, Co-Chairperson

  • Indian American Bar Association, Member

  • Maryland State Bar Association, Past Co-chair for Membership of the Tax Section

  • Maryland State Bar Tax Section: Tax Controversy Study Group, Member

  • Montgomery County Bar Association, Chairperson of the Tax Section

  • Montgomery/Prince George's County Tax Study Group, Member

  • Bar Association of the District of Columbia, Section of Taxation

  • Women's Bar Association of Maryland, Member

  • Fellows of the American Bar Foundation

  • National Association of Professional Women, Present

  • National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Present

  • Chair Employment Tax Section of ABA, Present

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