Tax Evasion Lawyers in Volusia County

"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 Volusia County, 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 utilizing 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 Volusia County, Florida

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Florida, tax evasion is a very egregious crime.

In Volusia County, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

In most cases, especially 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 intentional.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Volusia County, Florida purposely attempted to hide income or assets for the purpose of getting out of taxes, a court will probably throw the book at them, so to speak. This can mean jail sentences measured in years, and fines in the six or seven figures.

A Volusia County, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Volusia County, Florida specializing in tax law can help you adhere with all the tax laws that apply to you, which makes it very unlikely that you'll ever be accused of tax evasion in the first place.

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Volusia County, Florida attorney with expertise practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.