Tax Evasion Lawyers in Lakeway

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

There are a few strategies that tax evaders use in Lakeway, Texas. One of the most frequent 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 hide 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 unlawful 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 Lakeway, Texas

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

Tax evaders in Lakeway can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of punishments available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.

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 especially true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was deliberate, as opposed to an honest mistake.

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

A Lakeway, Texas Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Lakeway, Texas can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's difficult to determine clearly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

In the unfortunate event that you're really charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a reliable tax attorney in Lakeway, Texas. 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.