
That’s because there are no restrictions on the number of members or owners that can exist in an LLC. New business owners won’t encounter this problem when forming an LLC in their state. Furthermore, non-resident aliens are not permitted to be shareholders. Shareholders must only be pre-qualified trusts, estates, or individuals. There can be no more than 100 shareholders in place. Shareholders make up the group’s membership and technically “own” the company. However, the IRS has strict laws in place regarding S Corp shareholders. So, for instance, a company could set up its business structure as a C Corp and then elect S Corp taxation, which means that its owners could pass income through to their personal returns. Instead, an S Corp is an electable tax status. Owners see these restrictions even more with S Corporations. If you register as a partnership, you can exist only with one other person. For instance, if your business registers a sole proprietorship, you can exist only as yourself. There are membership restrictions that come with other types of business entities. The tax structures that provide LLC owners with pass-through taxation include sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations. Cash dividends are taxed once as profit at the corporate level and then again as a payout at the personal level. Were they to opt for this, cash dividends would be subject to double taxation. However, if LLC owners would like, they can elect to be taxed as a C Corporation, although this is very rare. LLCs are pass-through entities by default. Each owner would pass through $10,000 to their personal tax returns. Say there are three owners of an LLC that has taxable income of $30,000. With pass-through taxation, owners include business profits on their federal and state income tax statements. LLCs are an attractive option because owners receive pass-through taxation. Depending on how the LLC elects to file its taxes, owners can save themselves considerable money by selecting the LLC business structure. The tax benefits that owners receive when forming an LLC are quite notable. Owners won’t have to worry so much about losing their personal assets due to the business debts of the company. The liability protection that LLC members receive is the same afforded to owners of a corporation. If the business owner has registered as a single-member LLC, creditors can only come after business assets. Limited liability protection shields LLC members from liabilities. Because you don’t have any corporate protections in place, creditors can come after things like your personal income, your car, and your home. However, your business stops making money, and you cannot do so. Say, for instance, you promise to pay a vendor. If you’re a business owner working without the protection of the “ corporate veil ,” or the metaphorical layer of protection surrounding the owner’s personal assets, you could be responsible for the liabilities incurred on behalf of your business. When companies cannot pay this debt, creditors can seize assets. LLCs tend to be appealing to new business owners because the owner can submit the paperwork and filing fees easily without having to meet as many regulatory requirements.īusinesses often take on liability and debt. Corporations are also required to host annual meetings. Secure the required business licenses or permitsįiling as another type of entity, such as a corporation, could require you to draft Articles of Incorporation, write bylaws, and issue shares of stock.File with your Secretary of State’s office.Choose a registered agent to handle all legal correspondences.Choose a business name that’s not already listed with your Secretary of State’s office.Additionally, there are fewer requirements to do so. LLC owners can elect pass-through taxation, meaning that they can report business earnings on their personal tax returns.Įntrepreneurs will find that LLCs are cheaper to form than other types of businesses. Additionally, an LLC provides tax benefits to its owners. The personal liability protection that owners receive is similar to that offered by a corporation. An LLC protects an owner’s personal assets from any liabilities accrued by the company. Liabilities are financial commitments that the business has made, but has yet to pay - think of things like debts and loans. An LLC is a legal entity designed explicitly to protect business owners from any liabilities accumulated by the company.
