Tax Evasion Lawyers in Polk County

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Polk County, Iowa. One of the most common 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 conceal income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves using legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Polk County, Iowa

Both federal law and the law of Iowa treat tax evasion as a serious criminal offense.

In Polk County, 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.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is especially likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion typically 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 prove that a Polk County, Iowa taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most severe punishment that's allowed by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A Polk County, Iowa Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

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

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Polk County, Iowa. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.