Tax Evasion Lawyers in Satellite Beach

"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of purposely failing to pay one's taxes, as required by Florida law.

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Satellite Beach, Florida will take steps to hide their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves using legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Satellite Beach, Florida

Both federal law and the law of Florida treat tax evasion as a severe criminal offense.

Tax evaders in Satellite Beach can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of punishments available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.

In most cases, particularly when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will normally be fairly mild. It will normally result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was deliberate.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Satellite Beach, Florida committed deliberate fraud, in order to evade their legal duty to pay taxes, a tax court is probably going to impose a more severe penalty, which may include jail time, and large financial penalties.

A Satellite Beach, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Satellite Beach, Florida can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more easily, and comply with federal and local tax laws.

Of course, if you've really been accused of tax evasion, you should retain a Satellite Beach, Florida tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.