Tax Evasion Lawyers in Seal Beach

"Tax Evasion" refers to the crime of deliberately failing to pay one's taxes, as required by California law.

Usually, the strategy employed by tax evaders in Seal Beach, California 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.

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 Seal Beach, California

Both federal law and the law of California treat tax evasion as a severe criminal offense.

Tax evaders in Seal Beach 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 normally be fairly mild. It will normally 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 purposeful.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Seal Beach, California deliberately concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.

A Seal Beach, California Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

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

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Seal Beach, California attorney with experience 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.