Tax Evasion Lawyers in West Sayville

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in West Sayville, New York. One of the most typical tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide number of ways to harbor income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

"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 prohibited 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 West Sayville, New York

The federal government and the laws of New York impose grave penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.

In West Sayville, 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.

In most cases, especially when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will typically be fairly mild. It will typically 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 willful.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in West Sayville, New York intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is very unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A West Sayville, New York Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A West Sayville, New York attorney who concentrates in tax law can help ensure that you are in conformity with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.

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