Tax Evasion Lawyers in Waite Park

Within Minnesota "tax evasion" is the crime of failing to pay the taxes that they owe.

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Waite Park, Minnesota. 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 number of ways to conceal income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

It's important not to confuse "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion." They are two different things, but some people mistakenly use them interchangeably. Tax avoidance involves utilizing legal methods, such as tax deductions and exemptions, in a strategic manner, for the purpose of reducing one's tax liability. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Tax evasion involves fraud, and a deliberate attempt to avoid meeting one's legal commitments to pay taxes.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Waite Park, Minnesota

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

In Waite Park, tax evasion can result in anything from a comparatively 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 most cases, especially when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will usually be fairly mild. It will usually result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was intentional.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Waite Park, Minnesota intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is very unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Waite Park, Minnesota Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Waite Park, Minnesota specializing in tax law can help you adhere 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 actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Waite Park, Minnesota 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.