Tax Evasion Lawyers in Fort Walton Beach

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

Most frequently, people who try to evade their taxes in Fort Walton Beach, 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 deliberately 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 Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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

The penalties for tax evasion in Fort Walton Beach can range anywhere from small penalties to huge penalties, along with prison sentences of several years.

Normally, 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 intentional evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Fort Walton Beach, 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 Fort Walton Beach, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Fort Walton Beach, Florida specializing in tax law can help you adhere 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.

However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Fort Walton Beach, 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.