Tax crime prosecution statistics obtained by a Syracuse University research group confirm what attorneys and tax professionals have suspected. The number of criminal tax prosecutions by the Justice Department has markedly increased under the Obama administration as compared to the Bush administration.

According to TRAC:

“During the Obama administration, the number of criminal prosecutions referred each year by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has risen by nearly a quarter — 23.4 percent — over the Bush years.Prosecutions in fiscal year 2013 alone are up 30.6 percent from the previous year.

The government is cracking down on tax crimes including those involving FBAR and underreporting of income. The days of the “kinder, gentler IRS” are long gone.

Attorneys who represent taxpayers in such matters are most effective when the taxpayer comes forward early and seeks legal advice before the government comes calling. Hoping the government won’t catch on is a recipe for disaster. Early intervention by tax attorneys is crucial to protecting a taxpayer facing possible criminal prosecution. Act now, don’t delay.