Tax Evasion Lawyers in Bridgeport

Tax evasion is a crime in West Virginia. Tax evasion involves deliberately failing to pay one's taxes.

One of the most common prevalent tactics of tax evaders in Bridgeport, West Virginia 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.

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 Bridgeport, West Virginia

Under the laws of West Virginia, as well as federal law, tax evasion is a very egregious criminal offense.

Tax evaders in Bridgeport 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.

In most cases, especially when the amount of taxes evaded is small, and it's a first offense, the punishment will typically be fairly mild. It will typically 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 intentional.

But, if the government can prove that a defendant in Bridgeport, West Virginia deliberately 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 Bridgeport, West Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

An attorney in Bridgeport, West 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 Bridgeport, West 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.