Tax Evasion Lawyers in Collinsville

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Collinsville, Illinois. One of the most typical tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide number of ways to harbor income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

It's important not to confuse "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion." They are two different things, but some people mistakenly use them interchangeably. Tax avoidance involves utilizing legal methods, such as tax deductions and exemptions, in a strategic manner, for the purpose of reducing one's tax liability. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Tax evasion involves fraud, and a deliberate attempt to avoid meeting one's legal commitments to pay taxes.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Collinsville, Illinois

The federal government and the laws of Illinois impose grave penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.

In Collinsville, tax evasion can result in anything from a comparatively 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.

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 willful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Collinsville, Illinois 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 Collinsville, Illinois Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Collinsville, Illinois can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's challenging to determine precisely what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Collinsville, Illinois. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.