Tax Evasion Lawyers in Hackettstown

Tax Evasion in New Jersey is a criminal act in which someone purposely fails to pay their taxes.

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

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the unlawful 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 Hackettstown, New Jersey

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Hackettstown 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.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is particularly likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion usually mean a small fine, on top of an order to pay whatever taxes the taxpayer owes. A minor punishment is most likely when the government has trouble proving that fraud was involved, as opposed to an honest accounting error.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Hackettstown, New Jersey purposely concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.

A Hackettstown, New Jersey Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Hackettstown, New Jersey 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 a Hackettstown, New Jersey 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.