Recently, “Tax Notes Today” published an article by Andrew Velarde entitled, Streamlined Program Non-Willful Certification Can Be Hazardous, 2014 TNT 143-4 (7/25/14). The article summarizes comments made by three tax practitioners on a Bloomberg-sponsored webcast relating to the certification of non-willfulness. The practitioners were Robert F. Katzberg, of Kaplan & Katzberg; Alan Granwell of Sharp Partners; and Bill Sharp of Sharp Partners.

If there was a recurring theme to the article it was that certification of non-willfulness is risky business and not for the “do-it-yourselfer.” Very simply, false certifications can lead to steeper penalties (even greater than the onerous OVDP penalty), not to mention criminal prosecution for perjury. Read More