Tax Evasion Lawyers in Amherst

Tax Evasion in New York is a criminal act in which someone purposely fails to pay their taxes.

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

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of purposely attempting to get out of one's tax liability through unlawful means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Amherst, New York

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

In Amherst, tax evasion can result in anything from a comparatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, particularly first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not normally so severe, particularly when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.

On the other hand, if the prosecution can show that an Amherst, New York taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most grave punishment that's authorized by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A Amherst, New York Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Amherst, New York can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more quickly, and adhere with federal and local tax laws.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need an Amherst, New York 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.