Tax Evasion Lawyers in Cumberland
In Maryland "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.
Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Cumberland, Maryland will take steps to conceal their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.
You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves using legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Cumberland, Maryland
Under the laws of Maryland, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very severe criminal offense.
Punishments for evading one's taxes in Cumberland 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.
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 especially true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was purposeful, as opposed to an honest mistake.
But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Cumberland, Maryland 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 Cumberland, Maryland Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
A tax attorney in Cumberland, Maryland 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 exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.
Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Cumberland, Maryland tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.