Tax Evasion Lawyers in Kitsap County

Tax evasion is a crime in Washington. Tax evasion involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes.

Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Kitsap County, Washington that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.

It's important not to confuse "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion." They are two different things, but some people mistakenly use them interchangeably. Tax avoidance involves using legal methods, such as tax deductions and exemptions, in a strategic manner, for the purpose of reducing one's tax liability. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Tax evasion involves fraud, and a deliberate attempt to avoid meeting one's legal obligations to pay taxes.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Kitsap County, Washington

Both federal law and the law of Washington treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.

Tax evaders in Kitsap County can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of punishments available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.

In most cases, particularly when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will typically be fairly mild. It will typically result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was deliberate.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Kitsap County, Washington deliberately attempted to harbor income or assets for the purpose of getting out of taxes, a court will probably throw the book at them, so to speak. This can mean jail sentences measured in years, and fines in the six or seven figures.

A Kitsap County, Washington Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Kitsap County, Washington can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more easily, and comply with federal and local tax laws.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's imperative that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Kitsap County, Washington. 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.