Tax Evasion Lawyers in Cocoa

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

Most frequently, people who try to evade their taxes in Cocoa, Florida will take steps to harbor 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 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 Cocoa, Florida

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

Tax evaders in Cocoa can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of penalties available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.

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 particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Cocoa, Florida committed intentional 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 Cocoa, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Cocoa, Florida who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm 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 Cocoa, Florida 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.