Tax Evasion Lawyers in Lynden

Tax evasion is a crime in Washington. Tax evasion involves purposely failing to pay one's taxes.

Usually, tax evasion is accompanied by an attempt to make it appear to the government of Lynden, Washington 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.

It's important not to confuse "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion." They are two different things, but some people mistakenly use them interchangeably. Tax avoidance involves using legal methods, such as tax deductions and exemptions, in a strategic manner, for the purpose of reducing one's tax liability. Tax avoidance is perfectly legal. Tax evasion involves fraud, and a deliberate attempt to avoid meeting one's legal obligations to pay taxes.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Lynden, Washington

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

In Lynden, tax evasion can result in anything from a relatively small fine, and a court order to pay any back taxes as well as interest, all the way up to financial penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as well as jail time.

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.

But if the government is able to definitively show that a defendant in Lynden, Washington intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is highly unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Lynden, Washington Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Lynden, Washington 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.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Lynden, Washington 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.