Business Licenses Required to Legally Start Your Business
Copyright (c) 2006 Elias Stassinos
Here's a list of
business licenses
you need to start your business.
All starting businesses need one or more business licenses and tax ids before legally starting business operations.
After reading this article you will know exactly what business licenses you need to start your business. First, all starting businesses need a business license.
There are a few businesses that are not required to have one but that's a small percentage compared to the percentage of businesses that need a business license to legally operate.
The business license requirement applies to all businesses:
Home-based businesses, online internet businesses, contractor's businesses, professional businesses and any other type of business.
If you are a professional, such as a mechanic or hairdresser,
you might need to apply for a professional license directly from the state.
However, you will still need to obtain a business license in addition to your professional license.
Depending on the location of your business, or the type of business, the business license is filed at the state, county or municipal level of government.
Second, you may need to register a DBA.
If you using a business name that does not include your last name, you need to file a DBA (Doing Business As), also called a fictitious business name, an assumed business name, a trade business name, a trade firm name or a business name certificate.
Keep in mind that even if you use your last name as part of your business name, and the business name also includes a suffix such as "& Co,"
"& Sons," "& Associates" or anything that denotes additional business owners, you need to file a DBA.
Incorporating or forming an LLC is like the registration of a DBA business name so long as the corporate or LLC name is identical to the name you are using to conduct business.
So, if you incorporate or form an LLC, you don't need to register a DBA business name.
However, even if you file a Corporation or LLC, and the corporation name or LLC name is different from the business name you will use to conduct business, you need to file a DBA.
Here's a link to an inexpensive and professional DBA filing service:
http://www.businessname.net .
Third, if you sell or lease taxable items or services, in most states, you are required to obtain a state sales tax id number (also called a seller's permit, wholesale license, retail license or resale permit).
The reason that the state wants you to have this tax id number is that, as a retailer, you will be collecting sales taxes, which you will need to later pay to the state.
You will need a sales tax id number to buy wholesale, or if you are a wholesaler, you will need it to sell wholesale. For example, if you have a toy store, you will be able to buy wholesale without paying any taxes for the toys to the wholesaler and, subsequently, charging taxes to your customers when you sell the toys.
Fourth, if you will hire employees, you will need to obtain a federal employer tax identification number as well as a state employer tax identification number.
These tax id numbers are required if you are an employer. Employment taxes are paid both to the federal and to the state government.
Note that a federal tax id is also you business id number - just like a social security is your personal id number.
Even if you are not required to have it, it is a good idea to obtain one and use it to open a business checking account.
Otherwise, you will need to use your social security number to open a business bank account.
Here's a link to a company that can obtain any tax id number for your business: http://www.tax-id-number.info .
Finally, incorporate your business or form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to avoid personal or civil liability.
You are not required to incorporate or form an LLC but it is recommended because a corporation or LLC is a separate "person" or legal entity and, thus, separates you from the business. Filing a DBA, does not protect your personal assets.
However, if you incorporate or form an LLC, your debtors can only satisfy claims from your company's business assets not your personal assets such as your home or automobile.
You can hire a lawyer to file your business licenses, a less expensive legal service or you can do it yourself. After obtaining the required business licenses discussed above, and opening your business accounts, you can legally start business operations.
Obtain all required business licenses for your business so you can start making money
Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
When you decide to start your own business, one of the most important decisions you will make is determining which business entity is right for your business. This decision will have a huge impact on how the business is operated, how taxes are paid, and your personal liability. Different types of entities have different advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into consideration, but you should start with an understanding of exactly what each type of business entity is.The sole proprietorship is the choice for most business startups, but it isn't necessarily the best choice. What makes this type of business structure attractive is that it is the easiest and fastest way to set up a business. All that is required for a sole proprietorship is a business license, which can be obtained in about an hour by visiting your local court house, paying the fee and filling out a short form.A partnership is just like a sole proprietorship, except that there is more than one owner.
Again,...
Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
Incorporate > Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
Business Phones Keep Up With Changes In Technology
The basic premise that defines a business phone has been simple and well stated for many years. Business phones, unlike home telephones, need to be able to handle a large call volume and provide functionality that is useful to the end user. This usually includes the ability to field several calls at the same time, put people on hold when necessary, and direct phone traffic to wherever it needs to go. Business phones have accomplished these tasks with flying colors going all the way back the earliest models. Even more impressive, however, is the ability business phone manufacturers have shown to incorporate new and expanding technologies into their products.
Technology has grown by leaps and bounds, especially in the last two decades.
From faxes to cellular phones and the dawning of the computer age, changes that have affected phones in general, but particularly business phones, have been varying and abundant. Looking at other industries where technology has influenced...
Business Phones Keep Up With Changes In Technology
Incorporate > Business Phones Keep Up With Changes In Technology
Incorporate Church
A non-profit association is an incorporated association run with the primary purpose other than to make profit. The not-for-profit associations fall into three categories. Educational institutions and charitable associations for public benefit, trusts for the mutual benefit of the members and religious establishments like churches, religious beneficial programs and religious education. Churches are theological institutions with Jesus Christ as the head. Churches exist for the worship of God.
Other activities include proselytizing, i.e. spreading the word of God to others and other charitable works. Churches have many denominations like Catholics, Protestants, etc.
By the definition of corporation as a legal entity, churches can also be incorporated. The advantages to incorporate a church are tax exemption status under IRS code section 501(c) (3); thus, the donations and property transferal are exempted. Also, the limited liability clause protects the officers, in...
Incorporate > Incorporate Church
Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
When you decide to start your own business, one of the most important decisions you will make is determining which business entity is right for your business. This decision will have a huge impact on how the business is operated, how taxes are paid, and your personal liability. Different types of entities have different advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into consideration, but you should start with an understanding of exactly what each type of business entity is.The sole proprietorship is the choice for most business startups, but it isn't necessarily the best choice. What makes this type of business structure attractive is that it is the easiest and fastest way to set up a business. All that is required for a sole proprietorship is a business license, which can be obtained in about an hour by visiting your local court house, paying the fee and filling out a short form.A partnership is just like a sole proprietorship, except that there is more than one owner.
Again,...
Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
Incorporate > Business Entities ? What Are The Choices?
Tradeshow Exhibiting Success
Copyright 2006 Barry Brenner
When it comes to deciding if tradeshows can be an effective marketing tool for your company or business, a careful analysis of the landscape and return on investment potential is in order.
To be or not to be, that is the question. Where? On the tradeshow floor of course.
If the results of your analysis prove that the benefits of investing in tradeshows are worthwhile, the first thing you want to do is decide what show you want to exhibit in and sign up for the show. The sooner you do the better your booth location could be. You know what they say about location, location, location.
Next, your focus should shift to the look and appearance of your tradeshow exhibit booth.
The most important aspect of your tradeshow exhibit is the design, look, and feel. In other words, what can you incorporate into your design to get that all-important attendee to stop in front of your booth and give you the opportunity...
Incorporate > Tradeshow Exhibiting Success
WestHost Launches New Personal and Business Web Hosting Plans
Providence, Utah (ContentDesk) March 20, 2006 -- WestHost Inc., a leading web hosting provider (http://www.westhost.com), recently announced the release of completely new personal and business hosting plans. While few shared hosting companies have created an offering tailored specifically to individual or business needs, even fewer are bundling comparable applications without increasing costs.WestHosts new Personal Plans are lower priced, offer a large amount of disk space and bandwidth, and include features geared towards individuals, such as blogging, photo albums, and forums/message boards. Business Plans also come with a generous amount of space and bandwidth, yet incorporate business-specific features like shopping carts, search engine submission tools, advertising credit, SSL security, multiple domain support, and added e-mail.Over two years ago, WestHost shocked the industry by offering Virtual Private Server (VPS Hosting...
WestHost Launches New Personal and Business Web Hosting Plans
Incorporate > WestHost Launches New Personal and Business Web Hosting Plans
Tradeshow Exhibiting Success
Copyright 2006 Barry Brenner
When it comes to deciding if tradeshows can be an effective marketing tool for your company or business, a careful analysis of the landscape and return on investment potential is in order.
To be or not to be, that is the question. Where? On the tradeshow floor of course.
If the results of your analysis prove that the benefits of investing in tradeshows are worthwhile, the first thing you want to do is decide what show you want to exhibit in and sign up for the show. The sooner you do the better your booth location could be. You know what they say about location, location, location.
Next, your focus should shift to the look and appearance of your tradeshow exhibit booth.
The most important aspect of your tradeshow exhibit is the design, look, and feel. In other words, what can you incorporate into your design to get that all-important attendee to stop in front of your booth and give you the opportunity...
Incorporate > Tradeshow Exhibiting Success
The Benefits Of Incorporating Your Business
What do General Motors, Microsoft, AT&T and many other major businesses in America have in common? They're corporations. A corporation is a separate legal entity that functions separate and apart from its shareholders or owners. You can incorporate on your own without an attorney, although it wouldn't hurt to seek legal advice. And you can incorporate in your home state or any other state of your choosing. More than half a million business entities have their legal home in business-friendly Delaware, including more than 50 percent of all U.S.
publicly-traded companies and 58 percent of the Fortune 500. Nevada, New York, California, Arizona and Florida are also magnets for businesses wanting to incorporate. Protection Against Personal Liability Incorporating offers a variety of legal and tax advantages. For one, it's one of the best ways a business owner can protect his or her personal assets. As a separate legal entity, a corporation is responsible for its own debts.
Shareholders...
The Benefits Of Incorporating Your Business
Incorporate > The Benefits Of Incorporating Your Business
Incorporate
This page loaded in 0.01845 seconds.