Tax Evasion Lawyers in Clovis

Tax Evasion in New Mexico is a criminal act in which someone willfully fails to pay their taxes.

Most often, people who try to evade their taxes in Clovis, New Mexico will take steps to conceal their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of willfully attempting to get out of one's tax liability through illegal means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Clovis, New Mexico

Under the laws of New Mexico, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very egregious criminal offense.

The penalties for tax evasion in Clovis can range anywhere from small penalties to huge penalties, along with prison sentences of several years.

Most often, tax evasion - if it's a first offense and the tax liability is small - will not be cause for huge fines or imprisonment. This is particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Clovis, New Mexico intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is very unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Clovis, New Mexico Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Clovis, New Mexico specializing in tax law can help you adhere 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.

However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Clovis, New Mexico tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.