Tax Evasion Lawyers in Vero Beach

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Vero Beach, 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 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 Vero Beach, Florida

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Florida, tax evasion is a very significant crime.

In Vero Beach, 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.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, particularly first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not normally so severe, particularly when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.

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

A Vero Beach, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Vero Beach, Florida who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

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