Tax Evasion Lawyers in Haverhill
Within Massachusetts "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.
Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Haverhill, Massachusetts will take steps to hide 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 unlawful 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 Haverhill, Massachusetts
The federal government and the laws of Massachusetts impose grave penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.
In Haverhill, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.
Usually, an initial offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is comparatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is particularly the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of willful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.
But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in Haverhill, 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 Haverhill, Massachusetts Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
Attorneys in Haverhill, Massachusetts who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.
Of course, if you've really been accused of tax evasion, you should retain a Haverhill, Massachusetts tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.