Tax Evasion Lawyers in Harvey

In Illinois "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.

Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Harvey, Illinois that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.

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 Harvey, Illinois

Both federal law and the law of Illinois treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Harvey 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 is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Harvey, Illinois intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is highly unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Harvey, Illinois Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Harvey, Illinois 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.

Of course, if you've truly been accused of tax evasion, you should hire a Harvey, Illinois tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.