Tax Evasion Lawyers in Michigan City

In Indiana "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 Michigan City, 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.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is crucial that you don't confuse this with "tax evasion." Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and is probably something that every taxpayer does whenever they file, whether they know it or not. It involves employing legal methods to make one's tax liability as small as possible, taking advantages of deductions and other tax breaks.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Michigan City, Indiana

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Michigan City 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.

Typically, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of deliberate evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Michigan City, Indiana committed deliberate 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 Michigan City, Indiana Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Michigan City, Indiana who practice tax law can help you stay in compliance with your tax obligations. This is a good way to ensure that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Michigan City, Indiana tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.