Wealthy individuals and successful businesses do not act without the assistance of experienced tax counsel. Our team of tax lawyers provides the expertise needed to minimize the burden of state and federal income, gift, estate, GST, and excise taxes in all matters of income generation, asset ownership, and transactions, including the following:
When starting a business, it is crucial to understand the tax implications associated with the type of business structure you choose. For example, if you start a sole proprietorship, you and your business are considered one entity, and as such, you are personally responsible for the income, losses, and expenses on your tax returns. However, if you structure the business as a limited liability company, or an LLC, you and the business are considered separate entities from a tax standpoint, and so, there are fewer implications.
Corporate tax in the United States is implemented on the federal, state, local, and even international levels. Due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the national federal corporate tax rate has remained at a flat 21% since 2018. Some corporate transactions are not taxable, such as certain mergers, acquisitions, and liquidations, whereas others are. An attorney can help shield companies from the most serious tax consequences and advise on which transactions are taxable, which are not, and how best to maximize their tax outcomes.
It is not only corporations and pass through entities that must worry about certain tax implications. Individuals must, too, and when a person’s tax return involves a significant amount of wealth, these tax implications become serious and quite complicated. A professional familiar with tax law can advise on how to protect an individual’s best interests and ensure the effective use of tax law so that they face as few tax consequences as possible.
Disputes often arise between individuals and the IRS. This most commonly occurs when the IRS claims that an individual, business, or estate owes a certain amount of taxes and the individual disagrees. Without taking proper action, the IRS can levy bank accounts, garnish wages, and take other measures to secure the amount they believe the individual owes. It is for this reason individuals who disagree with the IRS or the amounts claimed by the IRS cannot simply avoid paying. Moreover, the IRS will also begin assessing penalties and interest. A taxation professional can advise on the appropriate steps to take, quickly, including fighting the IRS, appealing the taxes claimed, or even taking the issue to the United States Tax Court for a judge to make a decision on the matter.
