Tax Evasion Lawyers in Jeanerette

In Louisiana "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.

Usually, the strategy employed by tax evaders in Jeanerette, Louisiana 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 familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is crucial 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 Jeanerette, Louisiana

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Jeanerette 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.

Usually, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of purposeful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in Jeanerette, Louisiana 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 Jeanerette, Louisiana Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Jeanerette, Louisiana 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.

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Jeanerette, Louisiana 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.