Tax Evasion Lawyers in Lumberton
Tax Evasion in North Carolina is a criminal act in which someone purposely fails to pay their taxes.
One of the most common common tactics of tax evaders in Lumberton, 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 utilizing the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Lumberton, North Carolina
The federal government and the laws of North Carolina impose grave penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.
Tax evaders in Lumberton can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of penalties available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.
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 particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.
On the other hand, if the prosecution can prove that a Lumberton, North Carolina taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most grave punishment that's allowed by law. This can easily involve jail time.
A Lumberton, North Carolina Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
An attorney in Lumberton, North Carolina 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.
However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a Lumberton, North Carolina 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.