Tax Evasion Lawyers in Franklin Park

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

One of the most common prevalent tactics of tax evaders in Franklin Park, Pennsylvania is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it truly is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the prohibited act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves using the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Franklin Park, Pennsylvania

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

In Franklin 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.

On the other hand, if the prosecution can establish that a Franklin Park, Pennsylvania taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most severe punishment that's permitted by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A Franklin Park, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Franklin Park, Pennsylvania 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.

However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Franklin Park, Pennsylvania tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.