Tax Evasion Lawyers in Macclenny

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Macclenny, Florida will take steps to hide 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 using 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 Macclenny, Florida

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Macclenny 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.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is especially likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion usually 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 Macclenny, Florida committed purposeful 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 Macclenny, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Macclenny, Florida attorney who specializes in tax law can help ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Macclenny, Florida attorney with experience practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.