Small businesses and construction companies in New Jersey are increasingly facing scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding their federal tax filings. These companies’ executives are increasingly facing scrutiny as well. For these corporate and individual taxpayers, a criminal tax fraud investigation can pose substantial risks, and a proactive, strategic defense is critical to avoiding unnecessary consequences. Learn more from New Jersey criminal tax lawyer Kevin E. Thorn, Managing Partner of Thorn Law Group:

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced a new extension for businesses seeking to challenge denials of their Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims in 2026. While businesses generally have 2 years to file a refund lawsuit in court, the IRS is allowing eligible businesses to extend this deadline to continue pursuing an administrative resolution. Learn more from New Jersey tax attorney Kevin E. Thorn, Managing Partner of Thorn Law Group.

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) closed in 2021, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) stopped accepting retroactive Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims on Tax Day last year. Given this, can the IRS still pursue PPP and ERC audits in 2026? The answer to this question is a clear “Yes,” and the IRS continues to aggressively target PPP and ERC fraud in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Learn more from New Jersey criminal tax lawyer Kevin E. Thorn, Managing Partner of Thorn Law Group:

Submitting a voluntary disclosure to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides an opportunity to proactively resolve willful tax law violations before they come to light during an audit or investigation. While this can substantially mitigate the risks involved in acknowledging a willful offense, when submitting voluntary disclosures, taxpayers must be extremely careful to avoid mistakes that could lead to an indictment. 

Could you be at risk of facing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Employee Retention Credit (ERC) fraud allegations in 2026? While it has been several years since these pandemic-era programs closed, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) continue to aggressively target business owners and other individuals suspected of PPP and ERC fraud. As explained by New Jersey tax lawyer Kevin E. Thorn, Managing Partner of Thorn Law Group, facing PPP or ERC fraud allegations can pose serious risks—including the risk of criminal prosecution in some cases: