Tax Evasion Lawyers in Chariton

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Chariton, Iowa. One of the most typical tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide variety of ways to harbor income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

"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 prohibited means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves using 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 Chariton, Iowa

The federal government and the laws of Iowa impose severe penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Chariton range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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 Chariton, Iowa 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 Chariton, Iowa Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Chariton, Iowa 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 Chariton, Iowa 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.