Tax Evasion Lawyers in Stevens Point
Tax evasion is a crime in Wisconsin. Tax evasion involves knowingly failing to pay one's taxes.
One of the most common common tactics of tax evaders in Stevens Point, Wisconsin is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it actually is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.
"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the illegal act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves using the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.
Penalties for Tax Evasion in Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Under federal and state law, including the laws of Wisconsin, tax evasion is a very severe crime.
Punishments for evading one's taxes in Stevens Point 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.
However, the punishments for tax evasion, especially first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not usually so severe, especially when it looks like the failure to pay taxes was the result of an honest mistake, rather than deliberate fraud.
But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Stevens Point, Wisconsin 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 Stevens Point, Wisconsin Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help
A tax attorney in Stevens Point, Wisconsin can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's difficult to determine exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.
If you find yourself actually accused of tax evasion, and are innocent, you should hire a Stevens Point, Wisconsin 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.