Archive for October, 2007

LLC vs. S Corporation

Monday, October 15th, 2007

For many businesspeople, the choice of “business entity” comes down to a choice between  the Limited Liability Company (LLC) and S-Corporation.
While quite similar in many respects, LLC’s and S-Corporations both have advantages over one another.
For example, while LLCs and S-Corporations share the same “separate entity” status enjoyed by corporations (meaning the company is a separate […]

LLC vs. C Corporation

Monday, October 15th, 2007

C-Corporations are the oldest and probably most common type of large domestic company. Many product and services that people come across daily are provided by corporations.
And while Limited Liability Companies are a newer entity type than C-Corporations, they offer unique differences that the C-Corporation cannot provide (and vice versa), and in recent years have often […]

Employer Identification Number

Monday, October 15th, 2007

For any business, paperwork is inevitable.
And to almost any business owner, this means there are tens if not hundreds of different forms and paperwork you must fill out in order to be in “good standing” with the government, the IRS, and more.
One such form deals with the Employer Identification Number (EIN).
What is the EIN?
Also known […]

C-Corporation vs. S-Corporation

Monday, October 15th, 2007

When someone thinks of a “corporation”, they are typically thinking of the two big types of corporations: C-Corporations and S-Corporations. While they are similar in many respects, they do have several differences that are noteworthy.
While both types are separate legal entities from their owners (shareholders), only C-Corporations operate as a separately taxed entity from their […]

Can a Nonprofit Corporation Make a Profit?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

Yes, a Nonprofit Corporation may generate a profit. Non-profit does not literally mean that a Corporation cannot make a profit. A Nonprofit Corporation can acquire more income that it spends on its exempt purpose. This profit can be utilized for operating expenses, including salaries. However, a Nonprofit Corporation may not utilize its income to profit […]

What are the Disadvantages of a C Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

More extensive record keeping requirements

Corporations typically require more ongoing paperwork than most other business entities in order to stay compliant with the law and maintain their corporate status. This includes holding and documenting annual meetings of shareholders and directors and keeping minutes of important corporate meetings.

Dividend payments can lead to double taxation

Dividends are paid to […]

What are the Advantages of a C Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

Limited Personal Liability
This limits the liability of the owners/investors to only the amount of their investment. The owners of a corporation are not personally liable for business debts, claims, or other liabilities.

Perpetual Existence

The existence of a corporation is considered perpetual, although it can be terminated voluntarily by its owners (shareholders).

Better fringe benefits

While all business entities […]

What is a C Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

A C Corporation is a completely separate tax and legal entity from its owners, and owners who work in the business are treated and taxed as employees of the corporation (Note: The “C” in C Corporation refers to a sub chapter of the tax code; C Corporations are one of the most common forms of […]

What are the Disadvantages of an S Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

More extensive record keeping requirements
Corporations typically require more ongoing paperwork than most other business entities in order to stay compliant with the law and maintain their corporate status. This includes holding and documenting annual meetings of shareholders and directors and keeping minutes of important corporate meetings.
Additional Restrictions:

S Corporations cannot have more than 100 individual (not […]

What are the Advantages of an S Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

Limited Personal Liability
This limits the liability of the owners/investors to only the amount of their investment. The owners of a corporation are not personally liable for business debts, claims, or other liabilities.

Perpetual Existence

The existence of a corporation is considered perpetual, although it can be terminated voluntarily by its owners (shareholders).

Better fringe […]

What is an S Corporation?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

An S Corporation is a special form of corporation (Note: The “S” in S Corporation refers to sub chapter S of the tax code). S Corporations are based on C Corporations but they are not treated as a separate tax entity as C Corporations are. Instead, the income of an S Corporation is “passed through” […]

What is an Operating Agreement?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

The operating agreement is akin to a partnership agreement for a General Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). It is an internal contract amongst the members/owners of the LLC, and it lays out such things as ownership interest, member responsibilities, accounting method, adding or removing members, terms for concluding the LLC, etc. It is generally […]

Can I Form an LLC with just one Member?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

There was a time when almost every state required the LLC to have two or more members, but that is no longer the case. This important change came in response to revised IRS regulations that clearly permitted single-member LLCs. As a result, in most states, if you plan to be the sole owner of a […]

What is an LLC (Limited Liability Company)?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

A limited liability company (LLC) is a form of business entity that is separate and distinct from a person, like a corporation. The LLC is often described as hybrid between a corporation and a partnership (or sole proprietorship). It allows for the limited liability protection similar to that of a corporation (i.e. your risk is […]

How Long will it Take to Form my Company?

Monday, October 15th, 2007

Every state is different in their processing times, but follow this link to get a customized quotation, including the typical filing times, both standard and expedited, for your state.
NOTE: All filing times shown are in addition to mailing time, which varies depending on the level of mailing speed selected for your order.