Tax Evasion Lawyers in Monaca

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 Monaca, 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 Monaca, Pennsylvania

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Monaca 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.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not usually 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 prove that a defendant in Monaca, 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 Monaca, Pennsylvania Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Monaca, Pennsylvania can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's difficult to determine exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Monaca, Pennsylvania tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.