Corporate Tax Lawyers in Park Forest

In Park Forest, Illinois, a "corporation" is an entity that is, under the law, distinct from any of its owners. Basically, this means that the people who own a corporation, and the corporation itself, are distinct "persons."

Corporations are subject to the rule of "corporate personhood." Simply put, this means that corporations, under the law in Illinois are treated as individual persons. This means they have many of the same legal rights and responsibilities as actual human beings.

One of these obligations is the duty to pay income tax in much the same way as an individual person.

Corporate Tax Rate in Park Forest, Illinois

Essentially 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 Park Forest, Illinois are required to pay it.

At the federal level, and in some states, corporations are taxed at different rates from individuals. Federally, the top corporate tax rate is 35% - a rate applying to corporations earning more than .3 million per year. Corporations earning less than ,000 a year pay a 15% corporate tax rate, and there are a few tax brackets in between. For comparison, the federal income tax for individuals maxes out at 33%.

In Illinois the corporate tax rate probably differs from the individual tax rate as well. In many states, policymakers have determined 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.

In any case, Park Forest, Illinois 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 typically cheaper for corporations to pay their taxes than to not.

How Can a Park Forest, Illinois 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 Park Forest corporations can't afford to have attorneys on staff full time. Thus, 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 Park Forest, Illinois tax attorney immediately.