Tax Evasion Lawyers in Saco

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

Most frequently, people who try to evade their taxes in Saco, Maine will take steps to harbor their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is essential that you don't confuse this with "tax evasion." Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and is probably something that every taxpayer does whenever they file, whether they know it or not. It involves employing legal methods to make one's tax liability as small as possible, taking advantages of deductions and other tax breaks.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Saco, Maine

Under the laws of Maine, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very severe criminal offense.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Saco range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Most often, tax evasion - if it's a first offense and the tax liability is small - will not be cause for huge fines or imprisonment. This is especially true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was purposeful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

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

Attorneys in Saco, Maine who practice tax law can help you stay in compliance with your tax obligations. This is a good way to ensure that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Saco, 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.