Tax Evasion Lawyers in Lehi

In Utah, "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 Lehi, Utah. 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 number of ways to hide income for the purpose of evading one's tax liability, but all of them are illegal.

You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves utilizing legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Lehi, Utah

The laws of the federal government, as well as Utah take tax evasion extremely seriously, making it a crime.

In Lehi, tax evasion can result in anything from a comparatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

In the majority of tax evasion cases, however, the punishments are not so severe. This is particularly likely in first offenses, when the amount of money involved is fairly small. Minor punishments for tax evasion usually 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.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Lehi, Utah knowingly concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.

A Lehi, Utah Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Lehi, Utah who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

In the unfortunate event that you're really charged with tax evasion, it's critical that you hire a reliable tax attorney in Lehi, Utah. 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.