IRS Special Agent visits should be handled with extreme caution. Special agents investigate IRS criminal matters, including tax fraud and aiding and abetting crimes, and criminal investigations are on the rise in the San Diego area. Even if you are not the target of the investigation, statements made to the Special Agent may be used against you later. Worse, false statements made to a special agent can be construed as perjury, which is a felony punishable by up to one year in prison.
The best method for dealing with an IRS Special Agent visit is to be polite, but firm, and tell them that you would rather they spoke with your attorney. Take their card contact information and let them know your attorney will give them a call shortly. This will prevent you from making statements to your detriment and will give your attorney an opportunity to supervise the special agent’s line of questioning.
If you are a target of an IRS criminal investigation, receive notice of a third party summons, or have other reason to suspect that you may be under investigation, it is important that you seek the advice of a criminal tax attorney immediately. Time is of the essence; please contact our San Diego office for assistance.
For more information, please see:
- Criminal Tax Defense Main Page
- More about the Criminal Investigation Division
- Are You a Criminal Investigation Target?
- About IRS Criminal Investigations
- IRS Methods of Proving Tax Fraud and Tax Evasion
- Criminal Tax Attorney v. White Collar Defense Lawyers
- Criminal Investigation Division Tactics
- Tax Crimes
- Tax Crimes – Perjury