Corporate Tax Lawyers in Santa Cruz
In Santa Cruz, California, a "corporation" is specified as a legal entity that's separate from its owners. Thus, from a legal standpoint, the owner of a corporation and the corporation itself are not the same "person."
This rule is called "corporate personhood." Essentially, under the law of California, corporations are, in many ways, the same as individual human beings. Thus, corporations have some of the same legal rights and obligations as actual people.
As a prime example, corporations have to pay income taxes, just as a person would.
Corporate Tax Rate in Santa Cruz, California
All corporations in America have to pay a federal income tax. Various states also have a corporate income tax, which corporations operating in Santa Cruz, California have to pay.
Under federal laws that regulate corporate income taxes, corporations pay a different income tax rate from individual people. Corporations pay a maximum federal income tax rate of 35%, and a minimum rate of 15%, depending on their income. The high tax rate applies to corporations that make $18.3 million per year, and the low rate applies to any company bringing in less than $50,000.
In California the corporate tax rate likely differs from the individual tax rate as well. In many states, policymakers have decided that the local economy benefits most when it is business-friendly. In those states, the corporate tax rate is normally lower than the individual income tax rate, unlike the federal system, where the corporate tax rate is higher.
Corporations in Santa Cruz, California are obligated to pay both the state and federal corporate tax. Failing to pay either (or both) of these taxes can result in grave legal penalties, including fines that may prove ruinous, particularly for smaller businesses.
How Can a Santa Cruz, California Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?
Many bigger companies have corporate attorneys and accountants on staff who help them adhere with federal and state tax laws.
Of course, smaller companies in Santa Cruz can't afford to have full-time legal and accounting departments on their payroll. Therefore, if your business is organized as a corporation, and has an issue with its taxes, it's imperative that you contact a Santa Cruz, California tax attorney as soon as possible.