Tax Evasion Lawyers in Fort Stockton

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Fort Stockton, Texas. One of the most typical tactics is to make it appear that the taxpayer has less taxable income than they actually do. There are a wide variety of ways to harbor income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the prohibited 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 Fort Stockton, Texas

Both federal law and the law of Texas treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.

The penalties for tax evasion in Fort Stockton can range anywhere from small fines to huge fines, along with prison sentences of several years.

Normally, 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 purposeful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.

But if the government is able to definitively establish that a defendant in Fort Stockton, Texas 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 Fort Stockton, Texas Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Fort Stockton, Texas attorney who specializes in tax law can help ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable tax laws, making an accusation of tax evasion less likely.

However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Fort Stockton, Texas 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.