Tax Evasion Lawyers in Reston
Tax evasion is a crime in Virginia. Tax evasion involves intentionally failing to pay one's taxes.
Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Reston, 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.
You should not confuse "tax evasion" with "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is illegal, and involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes which they lawfully owe. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is legal, and involves using legal strategies to lower one's legal tax liability. For example, strategically using deductions and tax credits to lower the amount of money you are legally obliged to pay, is an example of tax avoidance, assuming you actually pay your tax bill, whatever it ends up being.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Reston, Virginia
Both federal law and the law of Virginia treat tax evasion as a severe criminal offense.
Punishments for evading one's taxes in Reston range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Usually, a first offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is relatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is especially the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of purposeful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.
But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Reston, Virginia intentionally concealed income, in order to get out of paying taxes, a court will most likely impose the heaviest penalties allowed by law, including enormous fines, and several years in prison.
A Reston, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
Tax lawyers in Reston, Virginia can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more easily, and comply with federal and local tax laws.
If you find yourself really accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Reston, 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.