Corporate Tax Lawyers in Sonoma County

In Sonoma County, California, a "corporation" is specified as a legal entity that's separate from its owners. So, from a legal standpoint, the owner of a corporation and the corporation itself are not the same "person."

This rule is called "corporate personhood." Essentially, under the law of California, corporations are, in many ways, the same as individual human beings. So, corporations have some of the same legal rights and obligations as actual people.

As a prime example, corporations have to pay income taxes, just as a person would.

Corporate Tax Rate in Sonoma County, California

Practically every for-profit corporation in the U.S. is required to pay taxes on its income each year. Most states also have their own corporate income tax. All corporations in Sonoma County, California are required to pay it.

In most states, and at the federal level, corporations are taxed at a different rate than individuals. At the federal level, the corporate income tax maxes out at 35% for corporations that earn more than .3 million per year. Corporations that earn less than ,000 per year are taxed at 15%. There are several tax brackets in between. Nonetheless, the individual federal income tax rate tops at 33%.

The tax rate in California for corporations probably also differs from the taxes that individuals must pay. In some states, the government has determined that their interests would be best served by making corporate taxes as low as possible. So in many states, the tax rate for corporations is much lower than the one paid by individuals, unlike the federal corporate tax.

In Sonoma County, California, corporations must pay both the federal and state corporate income tax. Failing to pay these taxes can result in grave punishment, including huge fines which can put a corporation out of business.

How Can a Sonoma County, California Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?

Most extremely large corporations have tax attorneys and accountants on staff, as full-time employees, who help them stay in conformity with every applicable state and federal income tax laws.

As most business owners know, however, the majority of small Sonoma County corporations can't afford to have attorneys on staff full time. So, if you run a small corporation, and are confused about the corporate tax issues that may affect you, it's a very good idea to retain the services of a Sonoma County, California tax attorney immediately.