Tax Evasion Lawyers in Island Park

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

Most frequently, people who try to evade their taxes in Island Park, New York will take steps to harbor their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is essential that you don't confuse this with "tax evasion." Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and is probably something that every taxpayer does whenever they file, whether they know it or not. It involves employing legal methods to make one's tax liability as small as possible, taking advantages of deductions and other tax breaks.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Island Park, New York

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

In Island Park, 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.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is especially likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion normally 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.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Island Park, New York intentionally attempted to harbor 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 Island Park, New York Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Island Park, New York who practice tax law can help you stay in compliance with your tax obligations. This is a good way to ensure that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

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