Nov. 6, 2012
Why attorney-client privilege with your accountant matters
If you ask your lawyer to obtain your foreign bank records, your lawyer generally can't be forced to hand them over to the IRS. In contrast, if you obtain your own foreign bank records, they're fair game.
Robert W. Wood
Managing Partner
Wood LLP
333 Sacramento St
San Francisco , California 94111-3601
Phone: (415) 834-0113
Fax: (415) 789-4540
Email: wood@WoodLLP.com
Univ of Chicago Law School
Wood is a tax lawyer at Wood LLP, and often advises lawyers and litigants about tax issues.
Lawyers may take attorney-client privilege for granted, but if you have tax problems, you may be reminded how fundamental and important this privilege can be. Thanks to attorney-client privilege, if you tell your lawyer you are hiding money offshore, the IRS can't make your lawyer reveal that information.
Of course, under the U.S. Constitution, you cannot be forced to testify against yourself. You can assert your Fifth Amen...
To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!
Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)
Already a subscriber?
Sign In