What Does Circular 230 Say About Contingent Fees? § 10.27(b) of Circular 230 prohibits contingent fees as they relate to any matter before the IRS, except in the following situations where a practitioner renders services in connection with: An IRS examination of an original tax return.
Retainer agreements (also referred to as representation agreements) are a type of compensation agreement with lawyers either for reserving their employment or as compensation for future services. Also inside the agreement are details on the scope and procedure for the representation.
The contract is characterized as "contingent" because the terms are not final and are based on certain events or conditions occurring. A contingent contract can also be viewed as protection against a future change of plans.