Tax Evasion Lawyers in Sarasota County

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Sarasota County, 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 Sarasota County, Florida

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

Tax evaders in Sarasota County can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of punishments available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.

In most cases, particularly when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will normally be fairly mild. It will normally 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 purposeful.

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

A Sarasota County, 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 the government really charges you with tax evasion, it cannot be stressed enough that you need the assistance of a brilliant Sarasota County, 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.