Corporate Tax Lawyers in Houston
A "corporation" in Houston, Texas is an organization established under state law which is considered a separate "person" from any of the people who run it.
This system is sometimes called "corporate personhood" by Texas lawyers. It means, in simple terms, that the law treats a corporation just as it would treat a human being - having most of the legal rights and duties that also apply to individuals.
One of the main legal duties a corporation has is the requirement that it pay taxes on its income, just as a person would.
Corporate Tax Rate in Houston, Texas
Every profit-earning corporation in the U.S. must, legally, pay the federal corporate income tax. Most states further have their own corporate income tax, which corporations located in Houston, Texas have to remit.
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%.
Likewise, chances are good that the corporate tax rate in Texas are different from individual income taxes. However, many states feel that their economies would be best served by attracting as many businesses as possible. For that reasons, in a large number of states, the corporate income tax rate is substantially lower than the individual rate.
In any case, Houston, Texas 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 normally cheaper for corporations to pay their taxes than to not.
How Can a Houston, Texas Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?
Most very large corporations have tax attorneys and accountants on staff, as full-time employees, who help them stay in compliance with all applicable state and federal income tax laws.
But if you are the owner of a small corporation in Houston, chances are you don't have a full-service legal department on your payroll. Therefore, if you need help with your corporate taxes, it's crucial that you speak with a lawyer in Houston, Texas who practices tax law.