Tax Evasion Lawyers in Yankton

In South Dakota, "tax evasion" is a crime that involves a willful failure to pay the taxes that the taxpayer legally owes.

Normally, the strategy employed by tax evaders in Yankton, South Dakota is to try and make it look like they have less taxable income than they actually do. This can be done by failing to report income, concealing it, or fraudulently transferring property.

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

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Yankton, South Dakota

Under federal and state law, including the laws of South Dakota, tax evasion is a very egregious crime.

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

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 establish that a defendant in Yankton, South Dakota 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 Yankton, South Dakota Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Yankton, South Dakota 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.

If you find yourself truly accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Yankton, South Dakota attorney with expertise practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.