Tax Evasion Lawyers in Stoughton

Tax evasion is a crime in Wisconsin. Tax evasion involves willfully failing to pay one's taxes.

One of the most common prevalent tactics of tax evaders in Stoughton, Wisconsin is to attempt to make it appear to an outside observer that their tax liability is lower than it truly is, such as by concealing income, fraudulently transferring property, and others.

"Tax evasion" should be distinguished from "tax avoidance." Tax evasion is the prohibited act of trying to hide one's tax liability. Tax avoidance, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, and simply involves utilizing the tax laws strategically, to reduce one's actual tax liability as much as possible.

Penalties for Tax Evasion in Stoughton, Wisconsin

Under federal and state law, including the laws of Wisconsin, tax evasion is a very significant crime.

Punishments for evading one's taxes in Stoughton range from paying back taxes plus interest (a relatively mild punishment) all the way up to years in prison, and penalties in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

However, the punishments for tax evasion, particularly first offenses involving relatively small amounts of money, is not typically so severe, particularly 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 establish that a defendant in Stoughton, Wisconsin intentionally engaged in fraud to get out of paying taxes, a tax court is very unlikely to show any leniency, and may well sentence the defendant to prison time.

A Stoughton, Wisconsin Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

Attorneys in Stoughton, Wisconsin who practice tax law can help you stay in conformity with your tax commitments. This is a good way to confirm that you won't be suspected of tax evasion in the first place.

In the unfortunate event that you're truly charged with tax evasion, it's important that you hire a knowledgeable tax attorney in Stoughton, Wisconsin. If you are actually innocent, your tax attorney can help make sure that you have the best chance you can of being found not guilty.