Tax Evasion Lawyers in Cary
Tax Evasion in North Carolina is a criminal act in which someone willfully fails to pay their taxes.
Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Cary, North Carolina 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 necessary 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 Cary, North Carolina
The laws of the federal government, as well as North Carolina take tax evasion extremely seriously, making it a crime.
In Cary, 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.
However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not normally so severe, especially when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.
But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in Cary, North Carolina 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 Cary, North Carolina Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
A tax attorney in Cary, North Carolina can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's difficult to determine clearly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.
Of course, if you've really been accused of tax evasion, you should retain a Cary, North Carolina tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.