Tax Evasion – You may think you can evade the IRS, but think again.
You may think you can get away without paying your taxes, but think again. Take Richard J. of Annandale, Virginia. He was a self-employed plumber convicted of tax evasion. He tried to assert that he was not required to file tax returns; your typical tax protestor. In fact, he filed no returns beginning in 2002 and continued to not file through 2007. Then for 2008, his return claimed a refund of $774,052 based upon false investments (1099-OID forms). Even the documents he filed in protest were ultimately considered in is criminal case to be an obstruction. Additionally, he assisted his wife, a high level civil servant in the Department of the Navy, to obtain exempt withholding status at her job. Mrs. J. pleaded guilty to willfully failing to file a tax return and was sentenced in December 2011 to three years of probation and ordered to pay more than $137,000 in restitution to the IRS. As for Richard J., in April 2012 in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison and three years of supervised release for corruptly endeavoring to impede the IRS, filing a false claim for refund, and failing to file tax returns for 2004 through 2007.
When you don’t file tax returns or falsely claim refunds you don’t deserve, or overstate your deductions to avoid taxes, its classic tax evasion; a felony punishable by 5 years in prison per criminal count. Of course, its not always criminal but merely civil authorities that catch up to you. In those cases, even though jail is not a government option, collections and seizure of your property is an option.
If you have several un-filed tax returns or taxes which you have failed to pay, the IRS may be looking for you. Don’t let it sit too long. Give a call for help.
