Tax Evasion Lawyers in Joshua

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 Joshua, 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 Joshua, Texas

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

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

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is especially likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion normally mean a small fine, on top of an order to pay whatever taxes the taxpayer owes. A minor punishment is most likely when the government has trouble proving that fraud was involved, as opposed to an honest accounting error.

On the other hand, if the prosecution can establish that a Joshua, Texas taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most severe punishment that's permitted by law. This can easily involve jail time.

A Joshua, Texas Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Joshua, 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 Joshua, 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.