Tax Evasion Lawyers in Chesterfield County

Tax evasion is a crime in Virginia. 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 Chesterfield County, 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 unlawful 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 Chesterfield County, Virginia

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

Tax evaders in Chesterfield County can be punished by multi-year prison sentences, as well as six-figure fines. Of course, there is a wide range of penalties 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 particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was willful, as opposed to an honest mistake.

However, if the relevant tax authorities are able to demonstrate that a taxpayer in Chesterfield County, Virginia committed willful fraud, in order to evade their legal duty to pay taxes, a tax court is probably going to impose a more severe penalty, which may include jail time, and large financial penalties.

A Chesterfield County, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

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

If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Chesterfield County, Virginia attorney with expertise 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.