Tax Evasion Lawyers in Helena

Tax Evasion in Montana is a criminal act in which someone intentionally fails to pay their taxes.

Typically, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Helena, Montana 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.

You may also be familiar with the term "tax avoidance." It is essential 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 Helena, Montana

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

The penalties for tax evasion in Helena can range anywhere from small fines to huge fines, along with prison sentences of several years.

In most cases, particularly 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 deliberate.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Helena, Montana 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 Helena, Montana Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Helena, Montana 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.

However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Helena, Montana 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.