Tax Evasion Lawyers in West Point

Tax evasion is a crime in Utah. Tax evasion involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes.

Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of West Point, 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 deliberately attempting to get out of one's tax liability through unlawful 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 Point, Utah

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

In West Point, 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 purposeful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in West Point, 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 Point, Utah Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in West Point, 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.

Of course, if you've really been accused of tax evasion, you should retain a West Point, Utah tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.