Tax Lawyers in Sturgis

To pay for general services like police, schools, firefighters, libraries, and hospitals, the government of Sturgis, Michigan collects taxes.

In Sturgis, Michigan, taxes are derived from numerous sources. Regardless of where a specific tax comes from, it is always collected in an amount dictated by law. Most often, taxes are calculated as a percentage of income, sales, or property value. Sometimes, typically in the context of licensing fees or car registration fees, taxes are set at a flat rate.

Residents of Sturgis are legally obligated to pay their taxes. Failure to do so can result in civil penalties, criminal fines, and even imprisonment.

Sources of Tax Dollars in Sturgis, Michigan

Various different things can be taxed in Sturgis, Michigan. This is meant to ensure that there is a wide range of sources of tax revenue, and that the government does not have to rely too heavily on any one revenue stream that could dry up. For instance, local governments collect revenue from sales taxes, licensing fees, as bridge tolls, among several other things.

Sales Tax: Mostly cities in the U.S., as well as most states, charge a sales tax. In Sturgis, the sales tax is calculated as a percentage of the sale price of most goods and services. The rate varies from state to state, and city to city.

Licensing Fees: The city of Sturgis may require business owners to obtain a license from the local government before they begin operating within city limits. Typically, the main hurdle involved in obtaining one of these licenses is paying a fee to the city government. Although these payments are called "fees" as opposed to "taxes," they operate in the same way, and serve largely the same purpose, as taxes.

Bridge/Road Tolls: Many larger cities in the U.S. charge tolls to enter the city via main highways or bridges. This amounts to a tax paid for the privilege of entering Sturgis if it has such toll roads. Besides being a basic source of revenue, these tolls require visitors to the city, who will have many city services available to them while they visit, to pay at least some contribution to these services.

How Can a Sturgis, Michigan Tax Attorney Help?

Tax Law in Sturgis, Michigan is sometimes simple. More often than not, however, some wrinkle appears that makes determining one's tax liability more confusing than it probably needs to be. Furthermore, many individuals and groups are legally entitled to tax breaks and deductions, which can make figuring out one's tax liability even more difficult.

Thus, it's extremely important that you obtain the advice of a qualified Sturgis, Michigan tax attorney if you have any tax law questions.