Tax Evasion Lawyers in Park City

In Utah, "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 Park City, Utah. 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.

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 using 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 Park City, Utah

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

In Park City, 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.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Park City, Utah knowingly attempted to harbor income or assets for the purpose of getting out of taxes, a court will probably throw the book at them, so to speak. This can mean jail sentences measured in years, and fines in the six or seven figures.

A Park City, Utah Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A Park City, Utah 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.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's critical that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Park City, 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.