Sunday, December 20, 2009

U.S. Government Promises More Investigations Into Financial & Tax Crimes: Attorney Offers Tips for Concerned Citizens

The Federal Government has announced that it is increasing its efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals and businesses who may be involved in financial and tax crimes.

Knoxville, TN (PRWEB) December 20, 2009 -- In light of recent news that prosecutions for financial crimes have decreased over the past 6 years, the United States Government is vowing to increase its efforts to prosecute individuals and companies who may be involved in financial, tax, or white collar crimes. Congress has increased its budget to allow the different agencies, including the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, and the Department of Justice, to fully pursue alleged financial criminals.

As the Government increases its pursuit of U.S. citizens that it believes may have violated federal laws, some are concerned that innocent people may become caught up in the Government's aggressive pursuit of these alleged wrongdoers. Criminal Defense Attorney Norman D. McKellar of The McKellar Law Firm, PLLC, says, "The average citizen should be greatly concerned about his/her rights, and how the Government's increased pursuit of alleged criminals will affect law-abiding citizens."

Mr. McKellar offers the following tips for concerned citizens:

1. Consult with an experienced knowledgeable attorney BEFORE talking to any agents for the Government. "Many clients make the mistake of providing statements to Government agents without understanding their rights. Often, under the promise of leniency or a client's sincere desire to "help out," a client will make mistakes that can irreparably harm his/her case," according to Mr. McKellar.

2. Be careful with whom you share information. CPAs, enrolled agents, and other financial and tax professionals may not have privileged, confidential communications that exist between an attorney and client. "Oftentimes, the Internal Revenue Service can build a strong case against a taxpayer by simply gathering information from the taxpayer's own CPA or tax adviser. It's of the utmost importance that you share sensitive information only with an attorney that can fully protect such information," Mr. McKellar declares.

3. Act quickly. "Too many people decide to be like ostriches and put their heads in the sand," Mr. McKellar states. "Let me assure you, these potential problems won't go away on their own...people are going to have to do everything in their power to protect themselves and their families."

Norman D. McKellar is a tax and criminal defense attorney in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the founder of The McKellar Law Firm, PLLC. His practice is nationwide and is focused primarily on cases involving tax fraud, tax evasion, health care fraud, and other white collar and financial crimes. Mr. McKellar is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

See Also:

[Via Legal / Law]

No comments: