Tax Evasion Lawyers in Maple Valley

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 Maple Valley, 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 Maple Valley, Washington

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

In Maple Valley, 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.

In most cases, particularly when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will normally be fairly mild. It will normally result in an order to pay the taxes the defendant owes, plus a small financial penalty. This is especially likely when it cannot be proven that the failure to pay taxes was deliberate.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Maple Valley, Washington purposely 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 Maple Valley, Washington Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Tax lawyers in Maple Valley, Washington can help anyone from an individual to a big business pay their taxes more easily, and comply with federal and local tax laws.

However, if you're really accused of tax evasion, you will need a Maple Valley, 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.