Tax Evasion Lawyers in Briarcliff Manor

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Briarcliff Manor, New York will take steps to conceal their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of willfully attempting to get out of one's tax liability through illegal means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves using legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Briarcliff Manor, New York

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Briarcliff Manor range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines 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 especially true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was purposeful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Briarcliff Manor, New York willfully attempted to conceal income or assets for the purpose of getting out of taxes, a court will probably throw the book at them, so to speak. This can mean jail sentences measured in years, and fines in the six or seven figures.

A Briarcliff Manor, New York Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Briarcliff Manor, New York specializing in tax law can help you comply 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.

Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Briarcliff Manor, New York tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.