09 / 29 / 11

DON'T MESS WITH THE IRS' "MEN IN BLACK"

Did you know that the IRS has their own "Secret Division"? Ok, well maybe it's not as covert as all of that, but most people don't know this division exists. And for good reason...Most people aren't criminals. Most people who don't pay their taxes do so because of financial crisis, a bad divorce or medical bills. By doing the right thing and working things out with the IRS, they stay out of trouble. But to the IRS - if you don't file your taxes and you're avoiding dealing with the issue by running away from the problem, you're considered a criminal. And that's where the "Men in Black" come in...The IRS Criminal Investigation Division (CI)...There are over 2,800 CI Agents worldwide who are trained to investigate criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code.

CI's Conviction Rate Is One of the Highest In Federal Law Enforcement. In the fiscal year 2006, of the 2,720 people that CI recommended for jail time, 82% were sent to prison. As you can see, if the "Men in Black" show up at your door, they mean business.

CI Exists As a Deterrent . One of CI's functions is act as fear tactic. And it works. According to the IRS website, "When individuals and corporations make deliberate decisions to not comply with the law, they face the possibility of a civil audit or criminal investigation which could result in prosecution and possible jail time." "Publicity of these convictions provides a deterrent effect that enhances voluntary compliance." In other words, if you don't file your taxes and you are convicted of tax evasion...publicizing your conviction is part of the "publicity scheme" of the IRS. The IRS wants the world to know that they are serious about catching tax cheaters.

If You've Filed Your Taxes CI Won't Bother You. Not being able to pay your taxes is not considered a criminal offense. If you've filed and haven't paid all that you owe, although you still need to get your affairs right with the IRS – you needn't fear a visit from the "Men in Black". Don't let fear of the IRS get in your way. You need to take action today and put a plan in place to take care of your problem. It will only get worse with every passing day if you don't. You may qualify for one or more of five tax payment strategies. Some of them may involve a significant reduction in the amount that you owe. In fact, you may never even have to deal with the IRS one-on-one in certain cases. However, each of these payment methods has some pros and cons, so in our meeting I'll listen to your situation and discuss the best solution for you. It won't cost a thing for you to talk to me.

If You Haven't Filed Your Taxes CI May Come After You. If you haven't filed, you're tempting the IRS to place you under criminal investigation status. Don't risk a visit from the "Men in Black". As you've seen with the conviction statistics I've mentioned, CI usually "gets their man". The first thing you need to do is file your taxes, regardless of how much you owe. Call a tax professional to help you. Even if it's been years since you've filed – it doesn't matter. Picking up the phone and just getting started is the smartest thing you can do.