Tax Evasion Lawyers in Steubenville

In Ohio, "tax evasion" is a crime that involves a purposeful failure to pay the taxes that the taxpayer legally owes.

Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Steubenville, Ohio 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.

"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of knowingly attempting to get out of one's tax liability through unlawful means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Steubenville, Ohio

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

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

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 willful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Steubenville, Ohio committed willful fraud, in order to evade their legal duty to pay taxes, a tax court is probably going to impose a more severe penalty, which may include jail time, and large financial penalties.

A Steubenville, Ohio Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Steubenville, Ohio can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more quickly, and adhere with federal and local tax laws.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Steubenville, Ohio 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.