Tax Evasion Lawyers in Mount Pleasant

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. One of the most typical tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide number of ways to harbor income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the prohibited 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 Mount Pleasant, Michigan

The federal government and the laws of Michigan impose grave penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Mount Pleasant 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.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Mount Pleasant, Michigan committed willful fraud, in order to evade their legal duty to pay taxes, a tax court is probably going to impose a more severe penalty, which may include jail time, and large financial penalties.

A Mount Pleasant, Michigan Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 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 precisely what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

If the government truly charges you with tax evasion, it cannot be stressed enough that you need the assistance of a reliable Mount Pleasant, Michigan tax attorney. Assuming you're actually innocent, your tax lawyer can help you prepare a defense, and ensure that you have a good chance of being found not guilty. On top of that, they can make getting through such a difficult time much easier.