Tax Evasion Lawyers in Joplin

Tax Evasion in Missouri is a criminal act in which someone deliberately fails to pay their taxes.

Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Joplin, Missouri that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of deliberately attempting to get out of one's tax liability through unlawful 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 Joplin, Missouri

The laws of the federal government, as well as Missouri take tax evasion extremely seriously, making it a crime.

In Joplin, 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.

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.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Joplin, Missouri committed deliberate 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 Joplin, Missouri Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Joplin, Missouri can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more easily, and comply with federal and local tax laws.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Joplin, Missouri 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.