Tax Evasion Lawyers in Winter Springs
"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of knowingly failing to pay one's taxes, as required by Florida law.
Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Winter Springs, Florida will take steps to conceal 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 Winter Springs, Florida
Under federal and state law, including the laws of Florida, tax evasion is a very egregious crime.
Punishments for evading one's taxes in Winter Springs range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Most often, tax evasion - if it's a first offense and the tax liability is small - will not be cause for huge fines or imprisonment. This is particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.
However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Winter Springs, Florida committed intentional 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 Winter Springs, Florida Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
Attorneys in Winter Springs, 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 actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Winter Springs, Florida tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.