Tax Evasion Lawyers in Luzerne County

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

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

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the illegal 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 Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Pennsylvania, tax evasion is a very severe crime.

The penalties for tax evasion in Luzerne County can range anywhere from small fines to huge fines, along with prison sentences of several years.

Typically, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of purposeful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania purposely concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.

A Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Luzerne County, 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 actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Luzerne County, 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.