Tax Evasion Lawyers in Brunswick

In Maine "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Brunswick, Maine 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 Brunswick, Maine

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

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

Usually, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of deliberate evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Brunswick, Maine 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 Brunswick, Maine Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Brunswick, Maine attorney who specializes in tax law can help ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Brunswick, Maine tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.