Tax Evasion Lawyers in West Jordan
Tax evasion is a crime in Utah. Tax evasion involves willfully failing to pay one's taxes.
Typically, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of West Jordan, Utah that one's tax liability is lower than it actually is. This can include concealing income, making fraudulent transfers of property, and other illegal activities.
"Tax evasion" should not be confused with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the act of willfully attempting to get out of one's tax liability through illegal means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves using legal strategies (such as taking advantage of deductions and tax credits) to reduce one's legal tax liability. However, someone engaging in tax avoidance typically intends to pay whatever they end up owing, even as they try to reduce the amount they owe.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in West Jordan, Utah
The federal government and the laws of Utah impose severe penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.
In West Jordan, tax evasion can result in anything from a relatively 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.
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.
But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in West Jordan, Utah 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 West Jordan, Utah Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
Attorneys in West Jordan, Utah who practice tax law can help you stay in compliance with your tax obligations. This is a good way to ensure that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.
However, if you're actually accused of tax evasion, you will need a West Jordan, Utah 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.