Tax Evasion Lawyers in Anchorage County

"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of willfully failing to pay one's taxes, as required by Alaska law.

One of the most common prevalent tactics of tax evaders in Anchorage County, Alaska 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 using 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 Anchorage County, Alaska

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

In Anchorage County, the punishments for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to fines in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not typically 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 establish that a defendant in Anchorage County, Alaska 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 Anchorage County, Alaska Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Anchorage County, Alaska who practice tax law can help you stay in compliance with your tax obligations. This is a good way to ensure that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Anchorage County, Alaska. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.