Tax Evasion Lawyers in Lake County

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Lake County, Florida will take steps to conceal their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Lake County, Florida

Under the laws of Florida, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very significant criminal offense.

In Lake County, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is particularly likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion typically mean a small fine, on top of an order to pay whatever taxes the taxpayer owes. A minor punishment is most likely when the government has trouble proving that fraud was involved, as opposed to an honest accounting error.

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

A tax attorney in Lake County, Florida can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's challenging to determine exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

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