Tax Evasion Lawyers in Valley Park

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

Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Valley Park, 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.

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 Valley Park, Missouri

Both federal law and the law of Missouri treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.

In Valley 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 typically be fairly mild. It will typically 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 establish that a defendant in Valley Park, Missouri 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 Valley Park, Missouri Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Valley Park, Missouri 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.

Of course, if you've truly been accused of tax evasion, you should hire a Valley Park, Missouri tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.