Tax Evasion Lawyers in Charlottesville
Tax evasion is a crime in Virginia. Tax evasion involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes.
Normally, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Charlottesville, 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 deliberately attempting to get out of one's tax liability through prohibited 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 Charlottesville, Virginia
The federal government and the laws of Virginia impose severe penalties for tax evasion - treating it as an extremely serious crime.
Tax evaders in Charlottesville can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of punishments available, with the ones just mentioned representing the most severe options available.
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.
However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Charlottesville, Virginia deliberately 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 Charlottesville, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
An attorney in Charlottesville, Virginia specializing in tax law can help you comply with all the tax laws that apply to you, which makes it very unlikely that you'll ever be accused of tax evasion in the first place.
If you find yourself truly accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Charlottesville, Virginia attorney with experience practicing tax law, as soon as possible. Your tax attorney can help you defend yourself against the charges, ensuring that you have a good chance at being acquitted.