Tax Evasion Lawyers in North Lauderdale

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

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

Both federal law and the law of Florida treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.

In North Lauderdale, tax evasion can result in anything from a relatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

In most cases, particularly when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will typically be fairly mild. It will typically result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was deliberate.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in North Lauderdale, Florida intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is highly unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A North Lauderdale, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A North Lauderdale, 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.

However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a North Lauderdale, 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.