Are You Being Accused of Tax Fraud?

 Posted on May 27, 2022 in Criminal Defense

April 15th has come and gone, our annual reminder that we need to file our income taxes. Some people file early – usually those who are receiving refunds, while others wait until the very last day to file. Those last-minute filers often owe taxes. There are also those who file extension requests because they need more time to get their documents together. The bottom line is, however, that no matter how we feel about our tax obligation, we are legally required to pay our taxes or face serious civil and/or criminal consequences.

Tax Fraud

No matter what the type of tax fraud that is being committed, the IRS has the tools in place where taxpayers can report the fraud directly to them. The agency has different forms that taxpayers can use, depending on what type of tax fraud is being committed. These forms do not require the individual reporting the alleged fraud to identify themselves, however, the IRS does encourage people to do so. Those that do identify themselves may be asked to testify against the party they are reporting should an investigation result in criminal charges being filed. If someone has reported you for tax fraud, contact a white-collar crime attorney immediately.

The following are some of the more common types of illegal activities that are reported to the agency and the form that they are reported on:

• Information Referral Form – This form is used to report parties that do not report income, fails to pay taxes, or files false returns. This form is also used to report organizations or individuals to claim false exemptions or deductions, or the improper withholding of taxes. The form does request the individual reporting to provide as much information as possible, including the contact information of the party they are reporting, tax ID or Social Security number, the timeframe the alleged fraud took place, and a description of the type of fraud that was committed.
• Complaint: Tax Return Preparer and Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit – These forms are used to report a company or individual who prepares tax returns and is involved in an illegal tax scheme.
• Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers Form – This form is used to report a company or individual who is promoting a tax-paying avoidance scheme.
• Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint Form – This form is used to report alleged tax fraud by any tax-exempt organization. Examples of tax-exempt organizations include charities and religious organizations.
• Identity Theft Affidavit Form – Another form of tax fraud that many people may not realize takes place involves victims of identity theft. It is not uncommon for an individual who has had this happen to them to discover that the offender had also filed fraudulent tax returns or obtained employment under their name and Social Security number.

How a Denton County Tax Fraud Lawyer Can Help

While there are some people who intentionally commit tax fraud, there are a great many more who unknowingly make errors on their tax returns or some other party has created the unfortunate – and often criminal – situation. Call Magaña & Van Dyke at 940-382-1976 to schedule a free and confidential consultation with one of our dedicated Cooke County white-collar crime attorney.

Source:

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-you-report-suspected-tax-fraud-activity