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Legal representation for tax fraud in Florida and the United States
Federal law requires individuals and businesses to pay federal and state income taxes. Willfully, intentionally, or fraudulently dodging these requirements subjects you to a charge for tax fraud, which is a federal crime that carries severe penalties.
Tax fraud is a complex crime that involves a variety of different acts and omissions. Tax fraud crimes are defined in Chapter 75 of the Internal Revenue Code. Title 26 of the U.S. Code, Section 7201, specifically discusses the evasion or defeat of tax payments.
The most common behaviors that give rise to a tax fraud charge include:
Generally, tax auditors will look for suspicious activity like an overstatement of exemptions and deductions, falsified information on tax documents, the transfer or concealment of income streams, the identification of business assets as personal assets, incorrect social security or EIN numbers, unlawfully claimed exemptions, and underreported income.
Different situations carry varying penalties. Generally, the IRS can press charges against you if there is sufficient evidence that you have evaded or falsified information on your tax returns. In many cases, if you are found guilty, you will owe the IRS back taxes.
In general, here are common penalties you can expect for the primary types of tax fraud:
Be sure to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney about the possible repercussions of your tax fraud charge.
In Florida, a prosecutor must prove that you intentionally committed tax fraud. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can work to prove that the issue was due to a clerical or accounting error or that you committed the offense inadvertently.
A tax fraud charge is serious and can result in steep penalties and fines. As such, it is vital to engage an experienced lawyer to discuss and evaluate your options. When fighting against the federal government, it is important to ensure you understand and have examined all the evidence contributing to your charge, and a tax fraud lawyer will help you craft a strong defense in your case, fighting to either drop your charge or reduce your penalty.
