Corporate Tax Lawyers in Austin
A "corporation" in Austin, Texas is an organization established under state law which is considered a separate "person" from any of the people who run it.
This rule is called "corporate personhood." Basically, under the law of Texas, 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.
An apparent example of this concept is a corporation's obligation to pay income taxes similar to how an actual person would.
Corporate Tax Rate in Austin, Texas
Every corporation in the United States is required to pay federal income tax. Most states also have a corporate income tax, which corporations doing business in Austin, Texas are required to pay.
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 Texas 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.
Corporations in Austin, Texas are required to pay both the state and federal corporate tax. Failing to pay either (or both) of these taxes can result in severe legal penalties, including fines that may prove ruinous, especially for smaller businesses.
How Can a Austin, Texas Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?
The majority of big corporations have accountants, tax lawyers, and other legal/financial specialists on staff to ensure that they comply with state and national corporate tax laws.
But if you are the owner of a small corporation in Austin, chances are you don't have a full-service legal department on your payroll. Thus, if you need help with your corporate taxes, it's crucial that you speak with a lawyer in Austin, Texas who practices tax law.