Tax evasion is the criminal offense of a person or entity using illegal methods to avoid paying the person or entity’s true tax liability. The Internal Revenue Code—a federal statute located in the United States Code—states that “[a]ny person who willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat any tax imposed by this title or the payment thereof shall, in addition to other penalties provided by law, be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $100,000 ($500,000 in the case of a corporation), or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.” 26 U.S.C. §7201.

Tax evasion is also a criminal offense under state law when a person or en,tity uses illegal methods to avoid paying state income, property, sales, franchise, payroll, and other taxes.

In Kansas, tax evasion is considered a serious criminal offense, both under federal and state law. Federally, the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. §7201) stipulates that willfully attempting to evade or defeat any tax is a felony, punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations, imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both, along with the costs of prosecution. Similarly, under Kansas state law, tax evasion involving state taxes such as income, property, sales, franchise, payroll, and other state-imposed taxes is also illegal. Individuals or entities found to be using illegal methods to avoid paying their rightful state tax liability can face criminal charges, which may result in fines, imprisonment, or both, depending on the severity of the offense and the specific statutes violated.