Tax Evasion Lawyers in Kingston

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

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Kingston, New York will take steps to conceal 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 crucial 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 Kingston, New York

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Kingston 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.

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 typically 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 Kingston, New York purposely 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 Kingston, New York Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Kingston, New York 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.

If the government actually charges you with tax evasion, it cannot be stressed enough that you need the assistance of a good Kingston, New York tax attorney. Assuming you're actually innocent, your tax lawyer can help you prepare a defense, and ensure that you have a good chance of being found not guilty. On top of that, they can make getting through such a difficult time much easier.