State and local governments across the country face massive deficits, and many are looking for additional taxes to improve their budgets.
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State and local governments across the country face massive deficits, and many are looking for additional taxes to improve their budgets.
Most are aggressively trying to collect more taxes from existing taxpayers, identify new taxpayers and impose new business taxes as well. Paying excessive taxes reduces profitability and puts a business at a serious competitive disadvantage, especially when it already is squeezed by price pressures and growing competition. Multistate businesses must also cope with multiple tax systems—often arcane, complex and inconsistent—that create serious compliance challenges as well as adverse financial consequences. However, by working effectively with those tax laws, a business can achieve substantial tax savings that flow to the bottom line and boost its financial position.
Our state and local tax attorneys help clients do just that – advising companies doing business throughout the United States, with particular emphasis on the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon and Alaska). We represent clients ranging from local startups to international manufacturers and retailers. We also do substantial work on the particular issues related to electronic commerce.
We provide a full range of services, including:
- Tax planning to minimize state/local tax costs of regular business operations and major transactions;
- Tax refunds;
- Tax rulings;
- Audit guidance;
- Appeals of assessments;
- Advise on multistate and constitutional tax issues;
- Guidance on all state and local taxes, including sales tax, use tax, income tax, gross receipts tax, property tax, utility tax, real estate excise tax, leasehold excise tax and other business taxes.
Most are aggressively trying to collect more taxes from existing taxpayers, identify new taxpayers and impose new business taxes as well. Paying excessive taxes reduces profitability and puts a business at a serious competitive disadvantage, especially when it already is squeezed by price pressures and growing competition. Multistate businesses must also cope with multiple tax systems—often arcane, complex and inconsistent—that create serious compliance challenges as well as adverse financial consequences. However, by working effectively with those tax laws, a business can achieve substantial tax savings that flow to the bottom line and boost its financial position.
Our state and local tax attorneys help clients do just that – advising companies doing business throughout the United States, with particular emphasis on the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon and Alaska). We represent clients ranging from local startups to international manufacturers and retailers. We also do substantial work on the particular issues related to electronic commerce.
We provide a full range of services, including:
- Tax planning to minimize state/local tax costs of regular business operations and major transactions;
- Tax refunds;
- Tax rulings;
- Audit guidance;
- Appeals of assessments;
- Advise on multistate and constitutional tax issues;
- Guidance on all state and local taxes, including sales tax, use tax, income tax, gross receipts tax, property tax, utility tax, real estate excise tax, leasehold excise tax and other business taxes.
Capabilities and Experience
Resolving Tax Issues Without Litigation
Largest numbers of clients' cases resolved at administrative levels.
- Positive working relationships with government tax administrators reinforced by daily contacts in handling a multitude of cases.
- Exceptional knowledge of government organizations, people and procedures - enabling us to help clients make the best strategy decisions.
Tax Planning
Routine tax planning to eliminate or minimize taxes on:
- Major transactions, including corporate and partnership formations, reorganizations and liquidations, as well as mergers and acquisitions, whether via stock or asset transfers;
- Regular business operations, including interstate, import and export transactions, as well as transactions between related entities;
- Assistance in qualifying for exemptions, credits and deferrals, obtaining private letter rulings, and restructuring to improve future tax positions following audits.
Litigation Capability
Substantial litigation experience both in court and at administrative levels. Representation of clients before the:
- U.S. Supreme Court;
- Alaska Supreme Court;
- California Supreme Court;
- Hawaii Supreme Court;
- Oregon Supreme Court;
- Washington Supreme Court;
- Federal and state trial courts and administrative tribunals of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
