Tax Evasion Lawyers in Palm Bay
"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 Palm Bay, 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 Palm Bay, Florida
Both federal law and the law of Florida treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.
Punishments for evading one's taxes in Palm Bay 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.
However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not typically so severe, especially when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.
But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Palm Bay, Florida purposely concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.
A Palm Bay, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
A tax attorney in Palm Bay, Florida can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's difficult to determine precisely what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.
If the government truly charges you with tax evasion, it cannot be stressed enough that you need the assistance of a knowledgeable Palm Bay, Florida tax attorney. Assuming you're actually innocent, your tax lawyer can help you prepare a defense, and ensure that you have a good chance of being found not guilty. On top of that, they can make getting through such a difficult time much easier.