Tax Lawyers in Billings

Billings, Montana has to gather taxes from its residents in order to pay for basic services that we've come to expect, like roads and schools.

Taxes in Billings, Montana can come from a wide number of sources, but they are always collected at a rate set by law. Sometimes, taxes might come in the form of flat fees, and other times they are collected as a percentage of something, such as a person's income or the value of a piece of property.

You are legally-obligated to pay your taxes in Billings. If you fail to pay your taxes, without a compelling reason, you are committing a crime, and may end up going to jail as a result.

Sources of Tax Dollars in Billings, Montana

A wide number of activities are subject to taxation in Billings, Montana, creating a considerable range of revenue sources. For example, cities typically impose a sales tax, charge fees for certain licenses, and collect tolls on roads and bridges.

Sales Tax: A sales tax in Billings is a surcharge added to the price of most goods that are sold by retailers to the general public. The government of further imposes a sales tax, which must be paid in addition to the local tax. Normally, local sales taxes are less than one percent, while state sales taxes are in the 5% range.

Licensing Fees: In Billings, licenses are required to engage in many different activities, or at least to do so legally. The most prevalent of these are business licenses. While some professions require licenses because the state has an interest in ensuring competence in them (in law and medicine, for instance), many business licenses exist for the primary purpose of gathering revenue, and therefore serve the same purpose as taxes.

Bridge/Road Tolls: Some larger cities have tolls set up on every main highway that enters the city. Effectively, this amounts to a fee that you have to pay in order to enter Billings, if it imposes such a toll. The idea is that visitors from outside the city enjoy many of the protections provided by the city government while they're there (such as protection by the police), and should pay at least a token sum to contribute to those services.

How Can a Billings, Montana Tax Attorney Help?

In Billings, Montana, tax law can get pretty complicated. Taxes are levied on a huge range of products and activities, and they are often calculated in complicated ways. Additionally, many groups and individuals are subject to special tax breaks and exemptions, which might or might not apply to you.

If you have any legal issues with your taxes, you should pursue legal advice from a skilled and reputable tax attorney in Billings, Montana.