Tax Evasion Lawyers in Chester County

In Pennsylvania, "tax evasion" is a crime that involves a willful failure to pay the taxes that the taxpayer legally owes.

Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Chester County, Pennsylvania that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.

You may also be acquainted with the term "tax avoidance." It is necessary 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 Chester County, Pennsylvania

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

In Chester County, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

In most cases, especially when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will typically be fairly mild. It will typically result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was intentional.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Chester County, Pennsylvania 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 Chester County, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Chester County, Pennsylvania specializing in tax law can help you adhere 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 truly been accused of tax evasion, you should hire a Chester County, Pennsylvania tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.