Starting a business? Choosing the right structure—LLC, corporation, partnership—has lasting legal and tax implications. Make an informed decision.
Expert information to help you understand your rights and options
Proper business formation affects liability protection, taxes, governance, and future financing. Getting it wrong is expensive to fix. Learn entity options, formation procedures, and critical decisions to make when starting your business.
Operating agreements (LLCs) and bylaws (corporations) establish internal governance rules—management structure, voting, distributions, and transfer restrictions. Default state rules may not match your needs. Learn what these documents should cover and common provisions to include or avoid.
Entity choice affects personal liability, tax treatment, management structure, and investor attraction. Each option has distinct advantages and limitations. Compare LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships to determine which structure fits your business goals.
Incorporating creates a separate legal entity that shields owners from personal liability and enables stock issuance. C-corps and S-corps have different tax treatment. Learn incorporation procedures, articles vs bylaws, initial resolutions, and maintaining corporate formalities.
LLCs provide liability protection with tax flexibility—combining corporate and partnership benefits. Formation requires articles of organization and an operating agreement. Learn LLC formation steps, operating agreement essentials, single-member vs multi-member considerations, and state-specific rules.