Tax Evasion Lawyers in West Des Moines

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in West Des Moines, Iowa. One of the most common tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide variety of ways to conceal income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

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 West Des Moines, Iowa

The laws of the federal government, as well as Iowa take tax evasion very seriously, making it a crime.

In West Des Moines, tax evasion can result in anything from a relatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is especially likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion typically mean a small fine, on top of an order to pay whatever taxes the taxpayer owes. A minor punishment is most likely when the government has trouble proving that fraud was involved, as opposed to an honest accounting error.

On the other hand, if the prosecution can prove that a West Des Moines, Iowa taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most severe punishment that's allowed by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A West Des Moines, Iowa Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in West Des Moines, Iowa specializing in tax law can help you comply with all the tax laws that apply to you, which makes it very unlikely that you'll ever be accused of tax evasion in the first place.

Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a West Des Moines, Iowa tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.