Corporate Tax Lawyers in Parkersburg

In Parkersburg, West Virginia, a "corporation" is a legal entity formed under the law, which is treated (for some purposes) as a "person" with a legal identity distinct from that of its owner.

This doctrine is identified as "corporate personhood." While the concept is somewhat abstract, the law of West Virginia treats corporations as individual persons, for most purposes. This means that, legally, corporations have most of the same rights, privileges, and commitments as living, breathing human beings.

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

Corporate Tax Rate in Parkersburg, West Virginia

Every corporation in the United States is obligated to pay federal income tax. Most states also have a corporate income tax, which corporations doing business in Parkersburg, West Virginia are obligated to pay.

At the federal level, and in certain 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 persons maxes out at 33%.

The tax rate in West Virginia for corporations probably also differs from the taxes that individuals must pay. In some states, the government has determined that their interests would be best served by making corporate taxes as low as possible. So in many states, the tax rate for corporations is much lower than the one paid by individuals, unlike the federal corporate tax.

Whatever a company's legal tax rate is, all corporations in Parkersburg, West Virginia must pay the taxes assessed against them. If they don't, they can be made to pay very considerable fines - typically much larger than their original tax bill.

How Can a Parkersburg, West Virginia Corporate Tax Lawyer Help?

Most extremely large corporations have tax attorneys and accountants on staff, as full-time employees, who help them stay in conformity with every applicable state and federal income tax laws.

But if you are the owner of a small corporation in Parkersburg, 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 essential that you speak with a lawyer in Parkersburg, West Virginia who practices tax law.