Tax Evasion Lawyers in Fairfield County

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

Normally, the strategy employed by tax evaders in Fairfield County, Connecticut 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.

You may also be acquainted with the term "tax avoidance." It is necessary 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 Fairfield County, Connecticut

The laws of the federal government, as well as Connecticut take tax evasion quite seriously, making it a crime.

In Fairfield County, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is particularly likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion normally mean a small fine, on top of an order to pay whatever taxes the taxpayer owes. A minor punishment is most likely when the government has trouble proving that fraud was involved, as opposed to an honest accounting error.

On the other hand, if the prosecution can establish that a Fairfield County, Connecticut taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most grave punishment that's permitted by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A Fairfield County, Connecticut Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Fairfield County, Connecticut can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's challenging to determine precisely what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

Of course, if you've truly been accused of tax evasion, you should hire a Fairfield County, Connecticut tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.