Tax Evasion Lawyers in Hope Mills

Tax Evasion in North Carolina is a criminal act in which someone willfully fails to pay their taxes.

One of the most common common tactics of tax evaders in Hope Mills, North Carolina is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it actually is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the illegal act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves using the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Hope Mills, North Carolina

The federal government and the laws of North Carolina impose severe penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Hope Mills range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Typically, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of deliberate evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Hope Mills, 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 Hope Mills, North Carolina Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Hope Mills, North Carolina 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.

Of course, if you've actually been accused of tax evasion, you should contact a Hope Mills, North Carolina tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.