Tax Evasion Lawyers in Phoenix
"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of deliberately failing to pay one's taxes, as required by Arizona law.
One of the most common prevalent tactics of tax evaders in Phoenix, Arizona is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it truly is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.
You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is important that you don't confuse this with "tax evasion." Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and is probably something that every taxpayer does whenever they file, whether they know it or not. It involves employing legal methods to make one's tax liability as small as possible, taking advantages of deductions and other tax breaks.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Phoenix, Arizona
The laws of the federal government, as well as Arizona take tax evasion quite seriously, making it a crime.
In Phoenix, 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.
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 especially true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was deliberate, as opposed to an honest mistake.
But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Phoenix, Arizona 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 Phoenix, Arizona Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
An attorney in Phoenix, Arizona 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.
However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Phoenix, Arizona 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.