Tax Evasion Lawyers in Somerset County

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

Most frequently, people who try to evade their taxes in Somerset County, New Jersey will take steps to harbor 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 prohibited act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves using the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Somerset County, New Jersey

Under federal and state law, including the laws of New Jersey, tax evasion is a very severe crime.

In Somerset County, 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 typically 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 establish that a defendant in Somerset County, New Jersey 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 Somerset County, New Jersey Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Somerset County, New Jersey attorney who specializes in tax law can help ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's essential that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Somerset County, New Jersey. 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.