Tax Evasion Lawyers in Gray

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Gray, Maine 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 utilizing 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 Gray, Maine

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Maine, tax evasion is a very significant crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Gray 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 willful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Gray, Maine 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 Gray, Maine Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Gray, Maine 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.

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's crucial that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Gray, Maine. 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.