Tax Lawyers in Redwood City
The government of Redwood City, California collects taxes from its residents in order to pay for general public services, like police and fire departments, libraries, hospitals, and public transit.
Taxes in Redwood City, California are derived from a wide number of sources. Regardless of the source, however, the amount that's taken is never arbitrary, and is always decided by law. A tax can come either in the form of a flat fee, or as a percentage of one's income, the value of a piece of property, or a sale.
You are legally-obligated to pay your taxes in Redwood City. 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 Redwood City, California
Taxes can come from a wide number of sources in Redwood City, California, such as sales tax, administrative/licensing fees, and tolls.
Sales Tax: A sales tax in Redwood City 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. Usually, local sales taxes are less than one percent, while state sales taxes are in the 5% range.
Licensing Fees: In Redwood City, licenses are required to engage in many different activities, or at least to do so legally. The most frequent 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 compiling 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 Redwood City, 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 Redwood City, California Tax Attorney Help?
Tax Law in Redwood City, California is sometimes simple. More often than not, however, some wrinkle appears that makes determining one's tax liability more difficult 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.
If you have any legal issues with your taxes, you should obtain legal advice from a qualified and reputable tax attorney in Redwood City, California.