Corporate Tax Lawyers in Atascadero

In Atascadero, 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 doctrine is known as "corporate personhood." While the concept is somewhat abstract, the law of California treats corporations as individual persons, for most purposes. This means that, legally, corporations have most of the same rights, privileges, and commitments as living, breathing human beings.

An obvious example of this concept is a corporation's obligation to pay income taxes similar to how an actual person would.

Corporate Tax Rate in Atascadero, California

Every corporation in the U.S. which has taxable income must pay its share of the federal corporate income tax. The majority of states also have a corporate income tax, which Atascadero, California corporations are required to pay.

Under the federal tax system, and the tax laws of several states, corporate income is taxed at a different rate from the income of individuals. For instance, the top federal income tax rate for corporations is 35%, compared with 33% for individuals. The highest tax rate applies to corporations making more than .3 million per year. The lowest corporate tax rate is 15%, applying to those corporations that make less than ,000 per year.

There's also a good chance that the tax rate applicable to corporations in California differ from the individual tax rates. Some states feel that the best economic policy is to attract as many businesses as they can. So, in some states, the corporate tax rate is lower than the individual tax rate.

Whatever their legal tax rate, all corporations in Atascadero, California are obligated to comply with state and federal income tax laws. Failure to pay income tax can be punished by massive fines, which can occasionally prove financially ruinous.

How Can a Atascadero, California Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?

The majority of big corporations have accountants, tax lawyers, and other legal/financial specialists on staff to guarantee that they adhere with state and national corporate tax laws.

As most business owners know, however, the majority of small Atascadero 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 an Atascadero, California tax attorney immediately.