Tax Evasion Lawyers in Spring Lake

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 Spring Lake, 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 Spring Lake, North Carolina

Under federal and state law, including the laws of North Carolina, tax evasion is a very egregious crime.

In Spring Lake, the penalties for tax evasion can range from a court order to pay back taxes, plus a small fine, and range all the way up to penalties in the tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars, and imprisonment.

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

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

Attorneys in Spring Lake, North Carolina who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Spring Lake, North Carolina. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.