Tax Fraud Attorney in Nashville, TN
Tax fraud takes many forms. Prosecutors sometimes allege that citizens failed to file income or payroll tax returns when required by law and now owe tax debt as a result. Other times, the government charges a defendant with making material misrepresentations on a filed tax return (or series of tax returns) that, when adjusted to what the government perceives to be true and accurate numbers, results in a substantial underpayment by the taxpayer (also called tax evasion).
Occasionally, tax fraud charges accompany some other allegation in an Indictment in which the defendant is alleged to have profited through a crime (for example, gambling, embezzlement, fraud, or drugs) and then failed to report those profits (either at all or accurately) and consequently owes a substantial tax debt.
Skilled Defense for Clients in Middle Tennessee and Nationwide
Regardless of how the allegations are made, the defense of a tax fraud case always involves a tedious and methodical review of both the supporting documents being examined by the case agent (often an IRS agent) and the calculations being used to determine the “tax loss.” To defend a tax fraud case, defense counsel must be well-versed in the tax code and federal sentencing guidelines and have the intelligence, experience, and confidence to develop a coherent defense that persuades prosecutors their logic was erroneous and/or will be understandable to a jury.
In addition to federal tax investigations, State and local authorities routinely conduct criminal tax investigations. The Tennessee Department of Revenue conducts criminal investigations into tax fraud involving payroll tax, sales and use tax, business tax, franchise and excise tax, tobacco tax, motor fuel tax, liquor tax, property tax, and more. Ms. Hodde and her team at MSS-Nashville represent individuals, businesses, corporations, and organizations in investigations and prosecutions spearheaded by the Tennessee Department of Revenue.
Nashville-based attorney Kimberly S. Hodde is such an advocate. Ms. Hodde has represented many clients charged with a variety of tax fraud issues and has successfully litigated criminal tax fraud cases. She defends clients in Middle Tennessee and in federal cases nationwide. Kim Hodde and her team at Meister Seelig & Schuster (MSS) bring those same qualities to clients facing sophisticated tax fraud investigations and prosecutions, combining strategic legal analysis with the resources of an established national law firm.
How a Lawyer Can Help During a Tax Audit
A tax audit is a critical moment for you as a taxpayer. If you are notified that you will be audited and know you may have underreported income or overstated deductions for the tax years in question or surrounding years (as audits are often expanded to surrounding years once they begin), you need skilled legal guidance from the outset. You should never speak directly with the auditor. You should always have legal counsel to protect you during the audit process. If you participate in the audit without representation, your own words will be used against you in assessing your tax liability and in any subsequent prosecution for tax fraud. Even if a qualified CPA guides you, you and that CPA need a criminal law expert to ensure you do not trigger an expanded investigation.
A knowledgeable defense lawyer can help you respond to these allegations. With the help of counsel, you may be able to avoid criminal charges entirely by showing the authorities there was no criminal intent.
Contact Us
If you have questions regarding tax charges, contact Kim Hodde and MSS-Nashville. Kimberly S. Hodde can be available for evening and weekend appointments. Ms. Hodde understands you may not have budgeted for your defense; under some circumstances, she will work with defendants and/or their families on a reasonable payment plan.
As head of MSS’s White Collar Defense practice, Kim Hodde leads a team equipped to represent executives, business owners, professionals, and other individuals facing complex federal tax investigations and prosecutions throughout Tennessee and nationwide. Clients benefit not only from Ms. Hodde’s decades of courtroom experience, but also from her team’s depth and the multidisciplinary resources available through Meister Seelig & Schuster.
The firm is conveniently located in a freestanding building on Music Row, just one mile from the federal courthouse with abundant free parking. Call us at 615-242-4200 or complete our online form.