Tax Evasion Lawyers in Manassas Park

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 Manassas Park, 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 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 Manassas Park, Virginia

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Virginia, tax evasion is a very serious crime.

The penalties for tax evasion in Manassas Park can range anywhere from small fines to huge fines, along with prison sentences of several years.

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.

However, if it can be clearly proven that a person or corporation in Manassas Park, Virginia deliberately attempted to hide 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 Manassas Park, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Manassas Park, Virginia 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 Manassas Park, Virginia tax lawyer immediately. If you are innocent, a tax attorney will make sure you have the best chance possible at being acquitted.