Tax Evasion Lawyers in Zebulon

Tax Evasion in North Carolina is a criminal act in which someone deliberately fails to pay their taxes.

One of the most common frequent tactics of tax evaders in Zebulon, North Carolina is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it really is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the unlawful act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves using the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Zebulon, North Carolina

Under federal and state law, including the laws of North Carolina, tax evasion is a very severe crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Zebulon range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Usually, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of purposeful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in Zebulon, North Carolina 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 Zebulon, North Carolina Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Zebulon, North Carolina 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.

Of course, if you've really been accused of tax evasion, you should retain a Zebulon, North Carolina tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.