Tax Evasion Lawyers in Belle Isle

"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of willfully failing to pay one's taxes, as required by Florida law.

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Belle Isle, Florida will take steps to conceal 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 willfully attempting to get out of one's tax liability through illegal 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 Belle Isle, Florida

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

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

Typically, an initial offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is comparatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is particularly the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of willful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Belle Isle, Florida 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 Belle Isle, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Belle Isle, Florida 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.

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Belle Isle, Florida. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.