Tax Evasion Lawyers in Weston

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

Most commonly, people who try to evade their taxes in Weston, Connecticut will take steps to hide their assets and income, or transferring their property to other legal entities in a fraudulent manner.

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of purposely attempting to get out of one's tax liability through unlawful means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Weston, Connecticut

Under the laws of Connecticut, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very egregious criminal offense.

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

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.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Weston, Connecticut committed intentional fraud, in order to evade their legal duty to pay taxes, a tax court is probably going to impose a more severe penalty, which may include jail time, and large financial penalties.

A Weston, Connecticut Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Weston, Connecticut who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Weston, Connecticut 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.