Corporate Tax Lawyers in Pinellas County

In Pinellas County, Florida, a "corporation" is defined as a legal entity that's separate from its owners. Thus, from a legal standpoint, the owner of a corporation and the corporation itself are not the same "person."

This concept is referred to as "corporate personhood" in Florida, and it typically means that, for many purposes under the law, corporations are treated the same as individual people, being subject to many of the same rights and responsibilities.

One of these obligations is the duty to pay income tax in much the same way as an individual person.

Corporate Tax Rate in Pinellas County, Florida

All corporations in America have to pay a federal income tax. Several states also have a corporate income tax, which corporations operating in Pinellas County, Florida have to pay.

The federal corporate income tax rate is different from the tax rate that applies to individuals. The highest corporate tax rate at the federal level is 35% of income - applying to companies that make over .3 million per year. Corporations earning under ,000 pay a 15% tax rate. There are various tax brackets in between.

The corporate tax rate in Florida may also differ from the individual tax rate. However, in many states, the corporate tax rate is lower than the individual income tax rate. This is because many states believe that the best way to attract business (and consequently improve their economies) is to have a low corporate tax rate.

In any case, Pinellas County, Florida corporations have to pay both the state and federal income tax. If they fail to do so, they can be subject to severe penalties, such as very large fines. These fines can be big enough to put some smaller companies out of business. Suffice to say, it's typically cheaper for corporations to pay their taxes than to not.

How Can a Pinellas County, Florida Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?

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

As most business owners know, however, the majority of small Pinellas County corporations can't afford to have attorneys on staff full time. Thus, 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 Pinellas County, Florida tax attorney immediately.