Certified public accountants, tax attorneys, enrolled agents, or any persons who are paid to prepare tax returns are hired because of their expertise and knowledge of the tax code. Taxpayers expect that the professionals they retain to prepare their returns will do everything they can to ensure that the returns are complete and tax liabilities are kept to a minimum. But the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also has expectations for tax preparers.
Your Career, Reputation, and Future Are At Stake
The IRS expects competence, honesty, and a refusal to aid or abet a taxpayer’s attempt to engage in tax fraud or evasion. And if its expectations are not met and the IRS believes that a tax preparer has committed fraud related to a return, the consequences can destroy a career, a business, and a future.
If you are a tax preparer and you discover that you are under scrutiny by the IRS for fraud or other misconduct, you need to take immediate action to protect yourself. The IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) can and will take punitive action against you, including seeking your suspension, disbarment, or censure as well as imposing steep monetary penalties. On top of that, you could be charged and convicted of a felony. Your clients may also be notified of the charges against you, creating a perfect storm that will sink your ability to make a living in your chosen profession.
Wigell Law Group’s Chicago tax preparer fraud defense attorneys understand the complexities of the law and applicable IRS rules regarding the duties and responsibilities of tax preparers. We also know what OPR and prosecutors need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to convict a preparer of fraud. For over four decades, we have provided aggressive, holistic, and effective defense representation; protecting our clients from allegations of fraud and related misconduct and doing everything possible to secure an acquittal or dismissal of the charges against them.
Elements of Tax Preparer Fraud
For the government to convict an individual for tax preparer fraud, prosecutors must prove that:
- The preparer signed the return, and it contained a declaration that it was made under penalties of perjury;
- The return contains a false statement;
- The preparer knew the statement was false;
- The statement was material; and
- The preparer made the statement “willfully.”
Experienced, Tenacious, and Strategic Chicago Tax Preparer Fraud Attorneys
When fighting tax preparer fraud charges, the top Chicago criminal defense attorneys at Wigell Law Group will vigorously challenge every aspect of prosecutors’ arguments and evidence, and develop a defense strategy best suited to the circumstances and charges against you. We know how much is at stake for professionals who find themselves in the IRS’ crosshairs, and we will put everything on the line to protect your career and your future.
Call Wigell Law Group to arrange for your free and confidential initial consultation, so we can learn more about your situation and craft a plan for how to respond to the investigation or charges. To schedule your free consultation, please call us today at 312-548-9250 or use our online contact form.
