Atlanta IRS Taxpayer Fraud Attorney
Tax evasion costs the United States roughly $1 trillion a year. To replace that money, the government borrows at high interest rates to cover the cost of essential social programs.
Fortunately, Congress has passed legislation which creates an incentive to blow the whistle on IRS tax fraud. If you have information about any scheme to defraud the IRS, please contact Stacey Evans Law today. We can help you bring this evidence to the attention of government investigators.
You Can Receive an Award for Rooting Out IRS Taxpayer Fraud
If you provide the IRS with quality information about fraud, then under 26 USC § 7623(b), the IRS must award you 15-30% of the proceeds collected if they pursue legal action to collect underpayment and the amount in dispute is at least $2 million.
Further, there is no $10 million cap on awards anymore. So if you help uncover widespread fraud, you could receive a commiserate payout. Someone whose whistleblowing results in $100 million of underpayments received could garner up to $30 million—all for doing the right thing and reporting the fraud.
To date, this whistleblower reward program has paid out almost $1 billion in awards, while the government has raked in more than $6 billion in unpaid taxes. Not only do whistleblowers benefit, but the public benefits by getting scammers to finally pay what they owe.
The IRS also allows for a discretionary award if the amount in dispute is less than $2 million, so you should meet with an Atlanta IRS taxpayer fraud attorney to review.
How to Submit a Tip to the IRS
Anyone can submit information about tax fraud by completing Form 211, Application for Award for Original Information and submitting it to the IRS. Once received, the Whistleblower Office will analyze the information and then send it on to the appropriate office. This review can take up to 90 days. The IRS may contact a whistleblower to clarify information or ask questions.
The IRS should notify the whistleblower of whether it is pursuing a claim via letter. Should the IRS go ahead with a prosecution or settlement, the agency should provide updates to the whistleblower.
Protection Against Retaliation
Many people with inside information about tax evasion will hesitate to speak up because they fear losing their jobs or suffering some other negative employment action. Fortunately, Congress passed retaliation protections for whistleblowers. These protections apply if you report fraud to the IRS or if you at least report it internally at your company. Retaliation can take many forms, such as discharge, demotion, or work reassignment.
Workers claiming retaliation must file a claim with the Department of Labor and may ultimately file a lawsuit in federal court seeking reinstatement, double backpay with interest, lost benefits, and attorneys’ fees and other special damages.
We Can Help Report IRS Taxpayer Fraud
Before contacting the IRS or blowing the whistle internally, please reach out to an experienced Atlanta IRS taxpayer fraud attorney. Whistleblower protections are not automatic, and we will advise you of your rights, as well as what information you need to bolster your claim. Call Stacey Evans Law today to learn how we can help.
