Tax Evasion Lawyers in Bluefield

Tax evasion is a crime in Virginia. Tax evasion involves willfully failing to pay one's taxes.

Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Bluefield, Virginia 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 prohibited means. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal, and involves utilizing 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 Bluefield, Virginia

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

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Bluefield range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Bluefield, Virginia willfully 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 Bluefield, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Bluefield, Virginia can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more quickly, and adhere with federal and local tax laws.

Of course, if you've truly been accused of tax evasion, you should hire a Bluefield, Virginia tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.