Tax Evasion Lawyers in Dauphin 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 Dauphin 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 familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is critical 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 Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

The laws of the federal government, as well as Pennsylvania take tax evasion quite seriously, making it a crime.

In Dauphin County, tax evasion can result in anything from a relatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not typically so severe, especially when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is highly unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Dauphin County, Pennsylvania 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.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's critical that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. 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.