Tax Evasion Lawyers in Elyria
Tax Evasion in Ohio is a criminal act in which someone deliberately fails to pay their taxes.
There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Elyria, Ohio. One of the most common tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide number of ways to conceal income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.
It's important not to confuse "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion." They are two different things, but some people mistakenly use them interchangeably. Tax avoidance involves utilizing legal methods, such as tax deductions and exemptions, in a strategic manner, for the purpose of reducing one's tax liability. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Tax evasion involves fraud, and a deliberate attempt to avoid meeting one's legal commitments to pay taxes.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Elyria, Ohio
Under the laws of Ohio, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very egregious criminal offense.
In Elyria, 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.
However, the punishments for tax evasion, particularly first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not usually so severe, particularly 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 prove that a defendant in Elyria, Ohio 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 Elyria, Ohio Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
An Elyria, Ohio attorney who concentrates in tax law can help ensure that you are in conformity with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.
If you find yourself actually accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire an Elyria, Ohio attorney with expertise practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.