Re: Structure that turns your business into gold

LUCKIEST — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:30:35 GMT

Structure that turns your business into gold

Good info. Thanks ell us more about you and your business.

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*Also remember SCORE. SCORE is FREE and can also help ***Before You Launch Your Business**

LUCKIEST

Structure that turns your business into gold

jaggedja — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:11:58 GMT

*Before
You Launch Your Business*

The best time
to explore how to structure your business is right after you decide to start
one.

A professional
can help you sort out whether your new venture should be incorporated, a
limited partnership or an LLC (limited liability company).

Making the
right choice can provide:

Tax benefits
Asset protection
Psychological benefits from separating your
business and personal life
Credibility in the marketplace
Increased privacy
Better positioning if you take the business
public

Liability
protection for even the smallest business owner is important, because simply
asking a friend to run an errand that ends in an accident can leave you open to
a lawsuit that will impact your business earnings.

By the same
token, a personal accident that occurs to a sole proprietor, without proper
asset protection, can result in financial calamity.

*When
Your Business is Already Established*

Even if you
have been operating for years, it's a good idea to revisit your corporate
structure-including how to set up additional companies. For instance, a
consultant might create a separate entity to handle her speaking business.

Among the
questions existing companies should consider:

1. Do you have the proper paperwork?
This includes articles of incorporation, employer ID, a set of bylaws,
partnership agreement, operating agreement and certificates.

2. Have you done annual filings in your state?
These are required by the Secretary of State and, in some jurisdictions, the
Franchise Tax Board?

3. Is your accounting system in order? A
shoebox is not an accounting system.

4. Have your taxes been filed on schedule?
If not, don't ignore them. Ask for a professional's guidance.

5. *Do you have a separate bank account and credit card
for your business?* Commingling your funds is the fastest way to
tear down the walls of your company. If you are successfully sued, the courts
will not take the time to separate your business and corporate assets.

6. *Are you representing yourself properly when you sign
contracts?* To avoid being personally liable, you should sign
all legal documents with the proper title (officer/director) of your company.

7. Do you have a good "resident agent" for your company?
This is the person, designated on public record, who will receive documents in
the name of your company.

8. Do you have recorded minutes for your company?
You need to document your decisions and maintain the records to establish that
your business is a professional one.

Running a
business with all the proper paperwork in place ensures that you can work on
the other factors that will ensure your success, secure in the knowledge that
your earnings will be as safe as possible.

Ignore the
paperwork at your own peril.

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Re: Structure that turns your business into gold

Structure that turns your business into gold