Tax Evasion Lawyers in St. Joseph County

Within 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 St. Joseph County, 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 acquainted 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 St. Joseph County, Indiana

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in St. Joseph County 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.

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 intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in St. Joseph County, Indiana purposely attempted to harbor income or assets for the purpose of getting out of taxes, a court will probably throw the book at them, so to speak. This can mean jail sentences measured in years, and fines in the six or seven figures.

A St. Joseph County, Indiana Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in St. Joseph County, Indiana can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more quickly, and adhere with federal and local tax laws.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's crucial that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in St. Joseph County, Indiana. 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.