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IRS Whistleblower Claims
Legal guidance for whistleblowers and defense for those subject to whistleblower claims.
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One honest conversation. You'll hang up knowing exactly what the IRS can — and can't — do to you, and how we'll stop them.
Call (877) 829-5267Tax Attorney · Villanova University School of Law · Admitted in Delaware, New Jersey, United States Tax Court
The Truth About IRS Whistleblower Claims — And What To Do Right Now
The IRS Whistleblower Program under IRC § 7623 pays informants for credible information that leads to tax recoveries. Done right, it's one of the most lucrative federal whistleblower programs in the country — awards routinely run into the millions. Done wrong, the claim is rejected, your identity is compromised, or you face retaliation without protection.
On the other side, if someone has filed a claim against you, an IRS audit or criminal investigation is already in motion. McCauley Law Offices represents both whistleblowers seeking awards and taxpayers defending against whistleblower-driven investigations.
The Two Whistleblower Tracks: Mandatory vs. Discretionary
Section 7623 creates two very different award programs:
§ 7623(b) — Mandatory Awards (Large Cases)
- Applies when the amount in dispute is over $2 million (and, for individuals, the taxpayer's gross income exceeds $200,000)
- Award is 15%–30% of the proceeds collected — the IRS has no discretion to deny if the criteria are met
- Award decisions can be appealed to U.S. Tax Court
§ 7623(a) — Discretionary Awards (Smaller Cases)
- Applies to cases below the $2 million threshold
- Award is up to 15%, capped at $10 million
- Award decisions are largely within IRS discretion and harder to appeal
Filing a Strong Whistleblower Claim
A successful claim requires more than a tip. We help whistleblowers assemble:
- Form 211 (Application for Award for Original Information) with specific, non-public facts
- Supporting documents — emails, ledgers, contracts, bank records — that corroborate the allegations
- A tax loss roadmap that walks the IRS examiner from the alleged conduct to the unpaid tax
- Confidentiality protections — we structure submissions to preserve your anonymity as long as the law allows
Defending Against a Whistleblower-Driven Investigation
If you're a business owner, executive, or professional and the IRS has suddenly opened an audit or criminal inquiry, a whistleblower may be the reason. Tell-tale signs include unusually specific document requests, questions about people no longer with the company, and requests for internal communications. Our defense approach:
- Assert privilege early — attorney-client and work-product privilege over internal investigations and document preservation
- Identify and contain the disclosure — what documents and timeframes did the whistleblower likely have access to?
- Challenge the underlying tax positions — many whistleblower claims rest on aggressive but defensible interpretations, not actual fraud
- Pursue voluntary disclosure if real exposure exists, before the IRS escalates to Criminal Investigation
Timing and What to Expect
Whistleblower cases are slow — IRS Whistleblower Office cases routinely take 5–10 years from submission to award payment, because the IRS only pays after the tax is actually collected and all appeal rights are exhausted. We set realistic expectations upfront, monitor the case through its full lifecycle, and challenge low awards through Tax Court when the facts warrant it.
People Just Like You Have Sat In This Exact Chair
They were terrified. They were ashamed. They thought they were the only one. Then they made one phone call — and everything changed.
Former CFO Reports $14M in Underreported Revenue
A former CFO of a regional staffing company brought us evidence of systematic revenue underreporting. We prepared a § 7623(b) claim with supporting ledgers and bank records, and the IRS opened a full examination — case ongoing with a multi-million dollar award projected.
Disgruntled Former Employee Files Claim Against Business Owner
A Chester County business owner learned of a whistleblower-driven audit when the IRS requested seven years of internal communications. We narrowed the production scope, demonstrated the disputed positions were defensible, and the IRS closed the investigation with no adjustment.
Industry Insider Reports Promoter of Abusive Tax Shelter
We represented an accountant who learned of an abusive shelter being promoted to his employer's clients. We coordinated the Form 211 submission with whistleblower-protection documentation, preserving his identity through the initial review phase.
That Letter In Your Hand? Here's What It Really Means.
The IRS writes notices in code on purpose. If any of these landed in your mailbox, irs whistleblower claims is exactly how we fight back — and the clock is already ticking.
Every Day You Wait, The IRS Wins A Little More.
Penalties stack. Interest compounds. Legal options quietly disappear. One free call ends the spiral.
Exactly How We Take This Off Your Shoulders
The hardest step is the first one. Everything after that, we carry for you. No surprises. No runaround. No lectures.
- 1
Confidential intake & evaluation
We review your information under attorney-client privilege and assess whether you have a viable § 7623(b) mandatory case or a discretionary § 7623(a) case.
- 2
Evidence assembly & roadmap
We build a Form 211 package with corroborating documents and a clear tax-loss roadmap — the single biggest factor in award size.
- 3
Submission & confidentiality protection
We file with the IRS Whistleblower Office and structure the submission to preserve your identity for as long as legally possible.
- 4
Case monitoring
We track the case through examination, collection, and appeals — a process that typically takes 5–10 years.
- 5
Award negotiation or Tax Court appeal
Once the IRS proposes an award, we negotiate the percentage and, when the offered award is too low, petition the U.S. Tax Court for a higher award.
Trusted by Thousands of Taxpayers
Real results from real clients
Robert M.
Sandra L.
Michael T.
Jennifer K.
David R.
Maria G.
Thomas W.
Patricia H.
James C.
Robert M.
Sandra L.
Michael T.
Jennifer K.
David R.
Maria G.
Thomas W.
Patricia H.
James C.
Robert M.
Sandra L.
Michael T.
Jennifer K.
David R.
Maria G.
Thomas W.
Patricia H.
James C.
Robert M.
Sandra L.
Michael T.
Jennifer K.
David R.
Maria G.
Thomas W.
Patricia H.
James C.
"McCauley Law resolved my $180,000 IRS debt for a fraction of what I owed. I was facing wage garnishment and bank levies — they stopped everything and negotiated an incredible settlement."
Robert M.
Philadelphia, PA
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The Questions Keeping You Up At Night — Answered
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Filing a False Tax Return
Defense against charges of filing fraudulent or materially false tax returns.
One Phone Call. Or Another Sleepless Night.
Stop Letting The IRS Own Your Mornings.
You already know what happens if you do nothing. Pick up the phone for a free, confidential conversation with a real tax attorney — 30+ years inside the IRS playbook — and finally start fighting back.
Call (877) 829-5267 NowPrimary Sources & Authority
We cite the underlying IRS publications and statutes so you can verify everything on this page.