Tax Evasion Lawyers in Charles

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

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

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 Charles, West Virginia

The laws of the federal government, as well as West Virginia take tax evasion very seriously, making it a crime.

In Charles, tax evasion can result in anything from a comparatively 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 particularly true if the prosecution can't definitively prove that that the defendant's failure to pay taxes was intentional, as opposed to an honest mistake.

But if the government is able to definitively prove that a defendant in Charles, West Virginia 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 Charles, West Virginia Tax Evasion Lawyer Can Help

A tax attorney in Charles, West Virginia can ensure that you meet your tax liabilities, which will make an audit, or charge of tax evasion, less likely. Sometimes, it's challenging to determine exactly what one's tax liability is, and a tax attorney can help.

In the unfortunate event that you're actually charged with tax evasion, it's crucial that you hire a qualified tax attorney in Charles, West Virginia. 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.