Tax Evasion Lawyers in Collegeville

In Pennsylvania, "tax evasion" is a crime that involves a deliberate failure to pay the taxes that the taxpayer legally owes.

Typically, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Collegeville, Pennsylvania that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is critical 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 Collegeville, Pennsylvania

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Collegeville 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.

Typically, 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.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Collegeville, Pennsylvania intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is highly unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Collegeville, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Collegeville, Pennsylvania specializing in tax law can help you comply 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.

Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Collegeville, Pennsylvania tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.