Tax Evasion Lawyers in Kittery

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Kittery, Maine will take steps to hide their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is critical 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 Kittery, Maine

Under the laws of Maine, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very severe criminal offense.

In Kittery, the punishments for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to fines in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not normally so severe, especially 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 show that a defendant in Kittery, Maine 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 Kittery, Maine Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Kittery, Maine 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 clearly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Kittery, Maine attorney with experience 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.