Everyone who works in New York State is required to pay taxes, from individuals to business owners. It may be tempting for some to think they can get away with not filing taxes and therefore avoid paying. This is never a good idea. The failure to file a tax return may result in severe penalties, including prison time, for those who owe taxes.
Take, for example, the consequences an Erie County man is facing for evading his business tax. Authorities reported that the man, the previous owner of the Lackawanna Excell Fuels gas station, did not pay his company’s taxes between June 2008 and November 2009. He pled guilty to second degree grand larceny and third degree criminal tax fraud, both felonies. In total, he failed to pay the New York State Department of Finance $124,000 in business tax.
The man accepted a plea deal that resulted in the order to repay the full amount he owes, plus five years of probation instead of prison. So far, he has repaid $20,000. An official with the finance department pointed out that the department takes aggressive action against all those who refuse to pay their taxes.
Attempting to avoid paying corporate tax will inevitably end in serious consequences, which may last for years and potentially affect everything from a person’s employment status to a criminal record. The costliness, hassle and extra time of dealing with tax disputes may best be avoided by following the law and paying taxes accurately and on time.
Source: WIVB News 4, “Former gas station owner convicted of evading sales tax,” Mark Belcher, Oct. 1, 2015