Tax Evasion Lawyers in West Caldwell

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in West Caldwell, New Jersey will take steps to conceal 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 illegal 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 West Caldwell, New Jersey

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

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

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 intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in West Caldwell, New Jersey 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 West Caldwell, New Jersey Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in West Caldwell, New Jersey who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a West Caldwell, New Jersey tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.