Tax Evasion Lawyers in Alpena

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Alpena, Michigan 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 acquainted with the term "tax avoidance." It is necessary 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 Alpena, Michigan

Both federal law and the law of Michigan treat tax evasion as a severe criminal offense.

The penalties for tax evasion in Alpena can range anywhere from small penalties to huge penalties, along with prison sentences of several years.

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 Alpena, Michigan 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 Alpena, Michigan Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Alpena, Michigan specializing in tax law can help you adhere with all the tax laws that apply to you, which makes it very unlikely that you'll ever be accused of tax evasion in the first place.

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire an Alpena, Michigan 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.