If you have been approached by the IRS and know they seem suspicious of your actions, audit, or intentions, it may seem logical to contact your CPA or company accountant to protect your business and yourself. Your accountant is likely the professional who prepared your returns. You may have a long-standing relationship with your accountant, and a CPA can work with you and the IRS during an audit and its appeal.
That said, it is critical to understand that you should not involve your CPA or accountant in a discussion or review of your documentation if there is concern about a tax crime. Although it is easy to turn to the professional who has been working with you on your tax returns, your CPA cannot provide advice or guidance in a criminal tax situation. Importantly, your discussions with your CPA are not protected from a subpoena by the IRS.
If you are aware of irregularities in your books based on false information you may have provided to your accountant—do not disclose or discuss it with your accountant at this time.
IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) has a broad scope of enforcement, from money laundering, violations of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and criminal violations of the IRS tax code. For these types of concerns, tax lawyers with specific experience in criminal tax defense can evaluate the situation and protect your rights.
As soon as you are aware of IRS interest in your tax matters, or if you are addressing anomalies in your tax records, it is important to understand how tax attorneys with significant experience in both civil and criminal tax concerns can help protect your interests. Given attorney-client privilege, you can disclose and discuss your concerns and tax documents without fear of disclosure. An experienced criminal tax lawyer works with you on strategy for negotiations or defense in the courtroom.
Because a criminal tax allegation can turn on how your intent is presented, the right choice for criminal tax defense is a reputable attorney who can defend and understand your case as deeply as the IRS and strategically use that knowledge and experience on your behalf and for your future. If you are facing trouble with the IRS, make the right choice for criminal defense.
Robert J. Fedor, L.L.C., is a leading criminal tax defense law firm working with clients across the U.S. and abroad. If you have questions of a civil tax or criminal tax nature, we can help. If you want to understand right now a little more about tax crime, take a look at our resource guide, Understanding Tax Fraud. When you are living in fear of the possibility of a criminal tax charge, or because your tax audit has taken a more serious turn, do not wait to get good legal defense. If the IRS is currently showing an interest in your activities, contact us at 440-250-9709.