Tax Evasion Lawyers in Harwood Heights

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

Typically, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Harwood Heights, 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 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 Harwood Heights, Illinois

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Harwood Heights 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.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, particularly first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not usually 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 prove that a defendant in Harwood Heights, 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 Harwood Heights, Illinois Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Harwood Heights, 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 exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's imperative that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Harwood Heights, 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.