What should you know if charged with tax evasion?
If you are facing charges of tax evasion, you may be tempted to underestimate the serious nature of this type of criminal offense. White collar crimes, which are offenses that often involve financially motivated criminal activity, can result in penalties that can change the course of your life. It is in your interests to take these charges seriously and start fighting for your future.
Most white collar crimes, such as tax evasion, involve the theft of information or money. They can seem like victimless crimes since they lack an element of violence, but the government takes these cases very seriously. Failing to pay your taxes could land you behind bars, and it is in your interests to know what you’re up against and how you can prepare an effective, thoughtful defense strategy.
What is it, exactly?
Tax evasion is the term used to describe the crime of intentionally underreporting income or intentionally failing to pay taxes. Taxes are complex, and sometimes people make unintentional errors on their returns. This is not a crime, and the government will likely not prosecute you for something that you did by accident and then rectified. However, the federal government takes evasion and other offenses related to taxes quite seriously. The following facts about tax evasion may be helpful:
- In order to convict a person of tax evasion, the prosecution must be able to prove that the defendant intentionally failed to pay taxes or lied on returns.
- Tax evasion can include refusal or failure to file a tax return or underreporting income so the amount of taxes required is less.
- It is especially easy for businesses and individuals who deal with a lot of cash to commit tax fraud because they simply don’t report it.
If suspected of this type of crime, it is likely there will be an investigation into your activities. Conviction of tax evasion and other types of white collar crimes could result in fines, time in prison and other consequences that can significantly impact your future.
Your best defense starts now
You do not have to wait until you are facing formal charges to start working on your defense. You may benefit from talking with an experienced South Carolina defense attorney as soon as you think there could be a problem. An assessment of your case can help you see the best way to start crafting a plan that will allow you to effectively confront the charges against you and challenge the prosecution’s tax evasion case.