Corporate Tax Lawyers in Mountlake Terrace

In Mountlake Terrace, Washington, a "corporation" is a legal entity established under the law, which is treated (for some purposes) as a "person" with a legal identity distinct from that of its owner.

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

As a prime example, corporations have to pay income taxes, just as a person would.

Corporate Tax Rate in Mountlake Terrace, Washington

Every profit-earning corporation in the U.S. must, legally, pay the federal corporate income tax. Most states also have their own corporate income tax, which corporations located in Mountlake Terrace, Washington 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 Washington 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 significantly lower than the individual rate.

In any case, Mountlake Terrace, Washington 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 usually cheaper for corporations to pay their taxes than to not.

How Can a Mountlake Terrace, Washington 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.

However, if you are the owner of a smaller corporation in Mountlake Terrace, you probably can't afford a full-time in-house lawyer. For that reason, you should hire an attorney in Mountlake Terrace, Washington who practices tax law, on an as-needed basis, if you ever encounter a corporate tax issue, such as an audi