Tax Evasion Lawyers in New Freedom

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 New Freedom, 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.

You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in New Freedom, Pennsylvania

Under the laws of Pennsylvania, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very egregious criminal offense.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in New Freedom range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Most often, tax evasion - if it's a first offense and the tax liability is small - will not be cause for huge fines or imprisonment. This is particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

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

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

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