Tax Evasion Lawyers in Staunton
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 Staunton, 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 utilizing 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 Staunton, Virginia
Both federal law and the law of Virginia treat tax evasion as a significant criminal offense.
Tax evaders in Staunton 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.
Normally, an initial offense of tax evasion, if the amount of tax evaded is comparatively small, will not result in jail time or massive fines. This is particularly the case if the government has trouble proving that the failure to pay taxes was the result of willful evasion, as opposed to an honest error in accounting.
On the other hand, if the prosecution can establish that a Staunton, Virginia taxpayer engaged in fraud, and knowingly failed to pay their taxes, a tax court will probably impose the most grave punishment that's permitted by law. This can easily involve jail time.
A Staunton, Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
An attorney in Staunton, Virginia specializing in tax law can help you adhere 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.
However, if you're truly accused of tax evasion, you will need a Staunton, Virginia tax attorney more than ever. If you are, in fact, innocent, a tax attorney can give you the best possible chance of being found not guilty.