subject: Under Investigation By The Canada Revenue Agency? Why You Need A Criminal Defence Lawyer [print this page] The Canada Revenue Agency is the federal organization responsible for both identifying and preventing tax evasion. The agency employs assessors who audit tax returns and other tax documents for the following suspicious activity:
Understating income in order to avoid higher income tax payments.Failing to report income from any given source.Failing to remit Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) owed in the province of Ontario. If your tax return or your tax documents are flagged by the Canada Revenue Agency - either by auditors or through algorithms and formulas which the Agency uses to detect possible tax evasion - you are likely to be audited or investigated. This is a very serious process and could lead to tax evasion charges against you.
One might think that being audited or investigated is not cause enough to hire a criminal defence lawyer - an easy view to take given that no formal criminal charges have been laid at this point in the process. However, as an Ottawa criminal defence lawyer with years of experience handling Ontario tax evasion changes, I'm going to give you some valuable advice: get a criminal lawyer's help sooner, not later.
There are a number of reasons why it's important to seek legal counsel before you've been charged.
A top criminal defence lawyer understands the Canada Revenue Agency thoroughly, and is experienced in dealing with them. Your top goal should be to show that you never intentionally committed any act of tax evasion. Dealing directly with the Canada Revenue Agency in order to clear your name is a bad idea - you do not have a lawyer's understanding of how guilt is determined, or which statements might land you in an even worse situation. Let a top criminal lawyer deal with your charges early on and on your behalf.
The sooner you start gathering details, the stronger your defence will be. If you wait until you have been charged to start working with a criminal defence lawyer, you will have lost valuable preparation time. It is important to quickly start gathering all of the facts and evidence that you could potentially use to defend yourself if you are charged.
If you think you are exempt from tax evasion charges, you might be incorrect. A top criminal defence lawyer knows the rights you are entitled to when being investigated by the CRA and can ensure your rights are protected. Without proper legal representation, your rights may be violated without you ever knowing it.
by: Brenda Hollingsworth and Richard Auger
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