Tax Evasion Lawyers in Chelmsford

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Chelmsford, Massachusetts will take steps to conceal their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the illegal act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves utilizing the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Chelmsford, Massachusetts

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Chelmsford 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 Chelmsford, Massachusetts 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 Chelmsford, Massachusetts Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Chelmsford, Massachusetts 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.

If you find yourself actually accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Chelmsford, Massachusetts attorney with expertise practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.