Tax Evasion Lawyers in Ellettsville

In Indiana "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 Ellettsville, Indiana 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.

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 using 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 obligations to pay taxes.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Ellettsville, Indiana

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

In Ellettsville, the punishments for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to fines in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

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 Ellettsville, Indiana 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 Ellettsville, Indiana Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Ellettsville, Indiana 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 an Ellettsville, Indiana tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.