Locate West Virginia Tax Lawyers
In West Virginia "taxes" are monies taken from persons or corporations by the government, at a rate set by law.
The taxes that West Virginia collects pay for necessary public services like roads, firefighters, police, courts, schools, and many other benefits that come with living in a modern society.
Everyone who legally resides in West Virginia is obliged to pay their taxes. If you don't pay the taxes assessed against you, you are committing a significant criminal offense, punishable by jail time and large fines.
Sources of Tax Revenue in West Virginia
Taxes in West Virginia can be derived from a large number of different sources, and in different amounts. The most typical sources of tax revenue nationwide are Sales Tax, Income Tax, and Property Tax.
Sales Tax: In West Virginia, vendors are obliged to pay a certain percentage of their gross sales revenue to the state and/or local government. This is identified as the "sales tax." The sales tax applies to most, but not all, items sold in West Virginia. This tax is passed onto consumers, as vendors typically add the sales tax to the price of their goods at the time of sale.
Income Tax: Every resident of the United States has to pay a tax to the federal government on their income. This is identified as the "income tax" and it applies to residents of West Virginia, and every other state. Moreover, most states in the U.S. impose their own income tax, which must be paid on top of the federal tax. All sources of income are subject to this tax. For most people, the only substantial source of income is employment wages. In these cases, income tax is deducted from a person's paycheck, so they usually don't have a huge tax bill at the end of the year. The federal income tax ranges from 10% to 33% of income, depending on how much money a person makes.
Property Tax: In West Virginia, a property tax only applies to people who own real estate (land or houses). Typically, the state appraised (estimates the value of) every piece of real estate under its jurisdiction. It then imposes on owners an annual tax calculated as a percentage of the property's appraised value. Property tax can be paid in various ways, but many people have arrangements authorizing them to pay their property taxes in manageable monthly installments, right alongside their mortgage payments. Sometimes, the mortgage and tax can be bundled into a single payment.
How Can A West Virginia Tax Lawyer Help?
Everybody in West Virginia who receives or owns anything of value, whether it's by selling goods, working for a salary, or investing, is going to have to pay at least some taxes.
Tax law issues in West Virginia are never simple. In fact, most tax attorneys ONLY practice tax law in West Virginia, because tax law is so confusing that an attorney pretty much has to specialize in it. This has the benefit of creating a situation where every competent tax attorney is practically an expert in tax law, because they have to be. If you have a problem with your taxes, whether state or federal, it is always a good idea to get some advice from a good West Virginia tax lawyer.
Interesting Facts About West Virginia
West Virginia is situated in the Appalachian region of the U.S., which is famous for its grand mountain ranges. However, because of its geographic position, the state is often listed under many different regions, including the Southeast, and the Mid-Atlantic U.S. regions. The state's economy is driven mainly by natural resources such as coal and oil.
West Virginia is one of the 11 states that operate only one court of appeals. Most states have an intermediate appellate court, with the state Supreme Court also hearing appeals. Instead, appeals in West Virginia are heard exclusively at the highest level, the Supreme Court of Appeals. This makes the Supreme Court one of the busiest appeals courts in the U.S. Other courts in West Virginia include the Circuit Courts, Magistrate Courts, and Municipal Courts.
An important West Virginia case is West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943). This case held that students are protected from being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and salute the American flag in school. The ruling was largely based on the Free Speech Clause of the 1st Amendment. The Barnette decision continues to be a landmark decision in the area of Constitutional rights.
Lawyers in West Virginia assist their clients mostly through the Circuit Court system. West Virginia lawyers provide representation during key lawsuits, and can provide advice on obtaining the most favorable legal remedy. A West Virginia attorney can also perform tasks like reviewing legal documents and providing intervention during conflicts.
