business formation

October 1, 2009

Hiring a Tax SpecialistMassachusetts Business Lawyer

It is possible to lower your tax bill by having a Massachusetts business lawyer coming in and going over your records. There are many laws and exceptions within the tax rules and you may not be aware of all of the deductions you can make. Tax preparation for business should actually be considered a full time job as your tax lawyer will need to keep himself or herself updated on all the new changes being made with taxes and how you can benefit.

Any tax lawyer will tell you that the best way tot stay out of trouble of win a dispute is to keep impeccable records. You may need to hire someone just to deal with the record keeping. Most businesses lose audits because they do not have good record keeping. Anything business related should be kept and filed in the appropriate spot, so it can easily be found when needed.

Any expenses that are necessary, ordinary or reasonable can be considered deductible for you small business. The items or services purchased must be specifically used for your business. If you make a purchase and use it for both business and home use then it may not be deductible. If you think the expense was necessary for the business to operate then it can be deducted as a small business expense. Make sure you can defend the deduction if you were to be audited.

Entertainment expenses can get a lot of business in trouble, as there are exceptions to the entertainment rule. Up to 50% of client entertainment can e be deducted but if you throw a party for your staff and their families then all of that can be deducted.

There are so many exceptions to rules that getting your tax return done properly can be difficult. This is where the small business lawyer can help, as they will completely understand what can and cannot be deducted on the tax return. Small business lawyers can also help you with an audit if this should occur.

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May 9, 2009

Protect Personal Assets with an LLC for Your Business

If you are in business for yourself, you have issues of liability that you need to worry about that are generally not a consideration if you are just an employee. You need to make sure that if your business is ever involved in a lawsuit, your personal assets are protected. One of the best ways to do this is by forming an LLC for your business.

Making sure that your new LLC is correctly formed is a must, otherwise it may not stand up in a court of law. The minute your business is involved in any form of litigation, your LLC is tested and if not formed correctly, it will not offer you the liability protection it should. Use an incorporation service to ensure that your LLC is correctly formed.

As you build up your business, you are going to find yourself in more contact with both customers and other businesses. Because each contact is a lawsuit waiting to happen you need to make sure you are properly protected. Customers and vendors are a good thing, but you need to have the correct safeguards in place in case something goes wrong.

Unfortunately, as a business owner you can be the subject of a lawsuit at any given time. Protecting your personal assets from lawsuits is something you need to do as the possibility of being sued is a real one.

While you can run your business as a sole proprietor, it does not give you the personal liability protection that you need. Instead, you should have a business structure such as an LLC to give you personal liability protection. Fortunately, if you use one of the online formation services, you can have a properly formed LLC for surprisingly little money.

A company that is financial successful tends to be a larger target for a lawsuit than one that is not doing as well. So as your company finances improve, you are going to find that you are a larger target for those looking to sue a business.

If you consider the position of someone who might sue, you will understand that it is more likely for them to go after a company with assets than one that is in a poor financial situation. Therefore, it is important to make sure you have the proper protection in place as your company becomes a larger target.

Personal liability protection should be a top priority when you own and operate a company. You need to make sure that your personal assets are properly protected in case of a lawsuit against your company. Using an LLC business structure is a great first line of defense in protecting your personal assets.

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January 5, 2009

Limited Liability Companies are a Great Business Structure

Simply said, a limited liability company, commonly know as an LLC, is a cross between a standard corporation and a general partnership. With an LLC, you get many of the benefits enjoyed by a corporation without the need for most of the corporate formalities. As such, it is a perfect fit for most small businesses.

For tax purposes, the owners, or members, of an LLC get treated just like a partnership. This means that taxes pass right through the LLC and are paid by the members. Where in a corporation, both the company itself and its employees pay taxes.

Income from an LLC is taxed only once because it passes straight through the business, onto the owners. Therefore, an LLC does not suffer from the double-taxation issue that a corporation deals with. But, an LLC still pays any payroll taxes required by the federal and state governments.

You choose the tax treatment you desire when you set up your LLC. You can be taxed as a C corporation, an S corporation, or treated like a sole proprietor. With an LLC, the decision is yours to make.

Certain personal liability protection is afforded the members of a properly set up LLC, but business and personal activity must be keep completely separate for this to happen. This liability protection is one of the reasons people choose an LLC over sole proprietorship. Also, as an LLC a company usually earns more respect in the customer’s eyes.

When the formation paperwork is drawn up for a limited liability company, the person doing the work does not have to be a member of the LLC. This allows the company owners to use one of the several very reputable online formation services. This also ensures that your LLC is properly set up so there will not be any issues down the road.

With an LLC, the limited of an individual member’s liability is determined by the financial contribution they make to the LLC. You can have multiple partners with an LLC. These partners can either be active in the business or be silent partners/investors.

An LLC gives its owners greater flexibility than a corporate structure would, but at the same time it is very similar to a corporate structure. A small business with a limited number of owners would be a perfect candidate for the LLC structure.

The LLC is a relatively new form of business entity, at least in the United States. As a matter of fact, as early as 1986, LLCs were only allowed in two states. Now, every state recognizes this business structure.

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