Corporate Tax Lawyers in Los Alamitos

In Los Alamitos, California, a "corporation" is defined 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 rule is called "corporate personhood." Basically, under the law of California, corporations are, in many ways, the same as individual human beings. So, corporations have some of the same legal rights and obligations as actual people.

One of a corporation's primary legal obligations is its duty to pay income taxes, as an actual person would.

Corporate Tax Rate in Los Alamitos, California

Virtually every for-profit corporation in the U.S. is required to pay taxes on its income each year. Most states also have their own corporate income tax. All corporations in Los Alamitos, California are required to pay it.

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 several tax brackets in between.

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.

In any case, Los Alamitos, California 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 usually cheaper for corporations to pay their taxes than to not.

How Can a Los Alamitos, California Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?

Most larger corporations have lawyers and accountants who ensure that they are in full compliance with both state and federal tax law.

As most business owners know, however, the majority of small Los Alamitos 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 a Los Alamitos, California tax attorney immediately.