Should You Register Your Business As A Sole Proprietorship
If you are considering starting a business, the simplest and least expensive form of business is a sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a one-person business that reports its income directly on the individual’s personal tax return (Form 1040) using a Schedule C. There is no need to file a separate tax return as is required by a partnership or corporation. Generally, there are very few bureaucratic hoops to jump through to get started as a sole proprietorship.
However, we strongly recommend that you open a checking account that is used solely for depositing business income and paying business expenses. You will also need to check and see if there is a need to register for a local government business license and permit (if required for your business).
If you are conducting a retail business, you will need to obtain a resale permit and collect and remit local and state sales taxes.
See this related post from Dennis Harabin: Tax Ramifications of Disposing of a Vehicle
If you are buying a new car, are you wondering what to do with the old one? You actually have a number of options, some of which have tax implications and some of which don’t. These options include trading the car in with the dealer, selling it to a third party, donating it to a charity, gifting it to someone, or even keeping it as a second car. Here are the details for each. Note: This article does not discuss in detail how to treat the disposition of a vehicle used for business.
If you hire employees, you will need to set up payroll withholding and remit payroll taxes to the government. Before you can do that, however, you’ll need to apply to the IRS for an employer identification number (EIN) because you can’t just use your Social Security number for payroll tax purposes. An EIN can be obtained online at the IRS web site or by completing a paper Form SS-4 and submitting it to the IRS.
As a sole proprietor, you can also very simply set aside tax-deductible contributions for your retirement.
Example: Paul has been working for a computer firm as an installation specialist but has decided to go out on his own. Unless he sets up a partnership or a corporation, Paul is automatically classified as a sole proprietor. He does not need to file any legal paperwork. His business is automatically classified and treated as a sole proprietorship in the eyes of the IRS and his state government.
What is a major drawback of sole proprietorships?
A big downside to conducting business as a sole proprietor, and that drawback is liability. Sole proprietors are 100% personally liable for all business debts and legal claims. As an example, in the case that a customer or vendor has an accident and is injured on your business property and then sues, you the owner are responsible for paying any resulting court award. Thus, all your assets, both business and personal, can be taken by a court order and sold to repay business debts and judgments. That would include your car, home, bank accounts and other personal assets.
However, you can carry liability insurance or register your sole proprietorship with your state as a limited liability company (LLC) to protect your other assets from liability claims. LLCs can also provide partnerships with liability protection. In addition, corporations can protect your personal assets from business liabilities. If you feel that your business is susceptible to lawsuits and would like to explore alternative forms of business, please give this office a call at 551-249-1040 so we can discuss the tax ramifications of the various business entities with you. If you decide on something other than a sole proprietorship, you’ll need assistance to formally set up your new business.
Does this sound too complicated? Dennis Harabin at Relax Tax makes it easy to understand.
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