Philadelphia Tax Fraud Attorney
Types of Fraudulent Activity
According to a report in USA Today, the IRS estimates that the amount of money that taxpayers fail to pay because of mistakes or fraud totals $385 billion. Tax fraud is not only a common crime—it is a serious one with significant consequences and heavy penalties. It has been defined as when "individuals working and earning income knowingly and intentionally fail to file their income tax return or falsify information on a tax return." According to the IRS' Criminal Investigators, tax fraud includes:
- Tax evasion
- Attempt to defeat tax
- Tax evasion and avoidance
- Additional tax due
- Willful failure to pay
- Willful failure to keep records
- Fraudulent statement to employer
Per Title 26 USC § 7206, if you are found guilty you will be sent to prison for three years and fined up to $250,000 (or $500,000 for corporations) or both. You will also be required to pay for the cost of your prosecution. Title 18 USC § 371 imposes the same fines and increases the prison sentence to up to 5 years if you and another conspire to defraud the United States government. Some of the ways that people have committed tax fraud in the past have included:
- Not reporting gambling winnings
- Inventing a dependent
- Inventing charities
- Deducting too much for a home office
- Not paying their taxes at all
A charge can also lead to deportation if you are a non-citizen. Tax fraud generally falls under the categories of failing to file a return, tax evasion or filing a false tax return. Enlisting the help of a criminal defense attorney is a must when you have the federal government working to convict you. A great deal of legal expertise is required and having a seasoned professional fighting for your rights can make all the difference to your future. Tax fraud is a dangerous crime because it results in both criminal and civil penalties. Civil consequences can include assessing interest of taxes due for the entire period they were outstanding.
Defending Charges
If you have been charged with tax fraud, contact a Philadelphia criminal defnese lawyer at Benari Law Group immediately. Taking prompt action is necessary if you wish to maximize your chances of a successful outcome. Even if you are under investigation by the government, it is never too early to take actions in your defense. The same applies if you have been notified of an impending audit and have come to realize there may be issues with your return and could be interpreted as tax fraud. There is often a large amount of documentation involved in such a case and we can review this as part of our own investigation in an attempt to stay a step ahead of the prosecution.
We can help you combat your charges, by walking you through various helpful measures, such as: cataloging every receipt demonstrating your payment of the taxes in question, supplying us with IRS and state tax forms to help us determine your tax status, provide corporate profit, share and inventory reports to the court and locating a local accounting firm that can help you assess the accuracy of your tax documents.
The good news is that usually the IRS does not want to imprison lots of people- they just want the taxes that belong to the government. Nonetheless, a tax fraud conviction can leave you with a black mark, make you pay hefty fines and can result in further negative repercussions. The best thing you can do is secure legal assistance and secure them immediately! We are ready to help you with your case. If you are facing or may be facing tax fraud charges, contact our office today for help!