Sales Tax Can Be Tricky for New Entrepreneurs, Especially With Online or Mobile Sales. There Are Seven Key Rules to Help Clarify Tax Collection, Covering Responsibilities and How State and Local Taxes Apply. Understanding Them Ensures Compliance and Avoids Issues.
The 7 Rules for Collecting Sales Taxes Read More »
Patent Protection Is Crucial for Safeguarding Innovations, but for Small Businesses, Enforcing These Rights Can Be Prohibitively Expensive and Time-Consuming. Many Opt to License Their Inventions to Larger Companies, as the Costs of Litigation and International Enforcement Often Outweigh the Benefits.
What are Patents Really Worth? Read More »
Discover How to Navigate FTC Guidelines for Influencers and Learn How to Avoid Penalties in Endorsements While Maintaining Transparency and Credibility in Your Endorsements.
Influencer Survival Guide: How to Navigate FTC’s Endorsement Rules Read More »
For Business Owners Needing Investors, Understanding SEC Rules Is Crucial. Failure to Understand What Constitutes a Security vs. a Private Placement or General Solicitation Can Get You into Hot Water.
How To Bring on Investors Without Running Afoul of SEC Laws Read More »
In the Dynamic Regulatory Landscape, Small Businesses Face a New Demand Under the Corporate Transparency Act. Starting January 1, 2024, All Businesses Must Now Submit a Beneficial Ownership Information Report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Known as FinCEN.
How To Navigate FinCEN’s Beneficial Ownership Information Report Requirements Read More »
Failing to Ensure ADA Compliance for Your Website Can Lead to a Host of Consequences, Including Expensive Lawsuits, Reduced Revenue, And Damage to Your Company’s Reputation. Prioritizing ADA Compliance Is Crucial to Avoid These Potential Risks.
Web Accessibility and the ADA: A Business Imperative Read More »
This quiz was designed to test your knowledge about Limited Liability Companies (LLC). Are you ready to put your knowledge to the test?
LLC Quiz: Assess Your Grasp of Limited Liability Companies Read More »
This quiz was designed to test your knowledge of small business regulatory and compliance issues. Are you ready to put your knowledge to the test?
Staying on the Right Side: Test Your Small Business Regulatory Compliance Knowledge Read More »
Did You Know You Register Entities with The SOS To Associate the Business Name with The Registered Agent and Not to Get Liability Protection?
Video: What You Need to Know About Registering an Entity Read More »
If your industry requires practitioners to be licensed by a state licensing board then you likely cannot organize as an LLC because you are considered a professional service company. You can however register as a Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) which is a bit different.
What You Need to Know About State Licensing Boards and Creating a PLLC Read More »
In some industries, trademarks can be an effective way of protecting your intellectual property. For others, it may not be as important. Learn what trademarks are, how they are used, the five levels of trademarks, and the pros and cons associated with each.
What You Need to Know About Trademarks Read More »
Businesses Use Images to Draw The User’s Attention. But When You Use Free Images from The Internet, You May Find Yourself in Violation of Copyright Law.
What You Need to Know Before You Use Free Images Read More »
Recent state regulations focused on the Marketplace Facilitator has eased some of the burdens for small businesses and individuals who sell products via the online marketplace.
Marketplace Facilitator Laws – Why You Need to Know About Them Read More »
Federal Income Taxes Are Daunting for Small Businesses. To Provide A Reference for The Small Business Owner I Have Listed the Most Common Tax Forms and Schedules That You Are Likely to Encounter as A Small Business Owner and What They Are Used for.
You Need to Know Your Small Business Tax Forms Read More »
In June 2018 the US supreme court upheld a lower court’s ruling that the state of South Dakota could force the online retailer Wayfair, a retailer with no nexus (physical location) in the state to collect sales taxes. This ruling sent shockwaves through the eCommerce community. Therefore, online retailers may now be required to collect sales tax on goods they ship.
How To Be Compliant With Internet Sales Tax Laws Read More »
In June of 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that even if an online business does not have a physical presence in a state, the state can require online retailers to collect and remit sales taxes.
When a seller of a product makes a sale to an end user of a product, the seller is responsible for collecting sales taxes on behalf of several taxing jurisdictions. Leanr how sales taxes and use taxes work together and what taxes the seller is responsible for collecting.
Video – What You Need To Know About Sales Taxes Read More »
The changing landscape of the US tax code continues to create tailwinds for the business owner. Today, when it comes to earned income, the amount you make may matter less as compared to how you make it giving rise to more small businesses. With the massive surge toward small business ownership will be an increased need for qualified small business knowledge.
Epic Tax Code Changes to Increase Interest in Entrepreneurship Read More »
There are a number of common mistakes many founders make that can destroy everything they worked so hard to achieve. Most occur when there is some business success. Some mistakes are made out of ignorance during the initial filing process with the Secretary of State and others are the result of failing to finish the process.
Critical Formation Errors that Will Destroy Your Business Read More »
When you are just an investor in an S-Corp, ostensibly you do not work for the business and you do not participate in its management as an officer. You are therefore considered limited in your liability and your income from the business based on your ownership share of the business is usually considered passive income.
How to Pay a Shareholder of an S-Corp Read More »
How You Get Paid as An Office and Or Shareholder of an S-Corp Is Different. Here Is What You Need to Know About Getting Paid.
How to Get Paid in an S-Corp Read More »
In some cases, all the partners of a limited partnership may be investors only and not managers. The partnership may hire an outside general manager (employee) to make the day-to-day decisions, and therefore, acts as the manager. In this case, the general manager is an employee of the business, but since they are not a partner (aka owner), their income is just like that of an employee in any business.
How to Pay a Non-Partner General Manager of Limited Partnership Read More »
How You Get Paid as A Non-Partner General Manager or As General Partner of a Limited Partnership Is Different. Here Is What You Need to Know
How to Get Paid in a Limited Partnership Read More »
A partner in a limited partnership that is a decision-maker (general partner) is considered an employee of the business by the IRS and is treated differently than limited partners. Income for general partners is considered earned income and is subject to additional taxes but also to additional potential tax deductions. Moreover, as a general partner, you are exposed to additional liabilities.
How to Get Paid as a General Partner of Limited Partnership Read More »
In some cases, all the members of an LLC may be investors only and not managers. The business may hire an outside general manager (employee) to make the day-to-day decisions, and therefore, acts as the manager. In this case, the general manager is an employee of the business, but since they are not a member (aka owner), their income is just like that of an employee in any business.
How to Pay a Non-Member General Manager of a Multi-Member LLC Read More »
When you have an investor in your LLC, who works less than 500 hours in a given tax year for the LLC, and they do not participate in its management, they are considered limited in their liability and their income is usually considered passive income subjecting the income to only federal and state income taxes based on their marginal tax rate.
How to Pay a Non-Manager Member of a Multi-Member LLC Read More »
A member in an LLC that is a decision-maker (manager) is considered an employee of the business by the IRS and is treated differently than non-manager members. Income for managers is considered earned income and is subject to additional taxes but also to additional potential tax deductions. Moreover, as a manager, you are exposed to additional liabilities.
How to Get Paid in a Multi-Member LLC Read More »
As a sole proprietor or as a single-member LLC you are the only owner, and as a result, you do not take a salary or a wage from a business. Instead, you can simply take out excess cash from the business, which is known as an owner draw, to pay yourself.
How to Get Paid as an Owner of a Sole Proprietor or Single-Member LLC Read More »
How you pay yourself as an owner depends on the type of entity you are and how many owners there are. This post lays the groundwork and defines a few terms that should help demystify how entities pay the owners of the business.
How to Get Paid as an Owner of a Pass-Through Entity Read More »
Not all industries and occupations are treated equally in the eyes of government officials. Some industries and occupations require the business to obtain a “Business License” to operate. This video provides the background into why some industries and occupations require oversight from a government entity.
VIDEO: Business Licensing Demystified Read More »
There is a gross misunderstanding when it comes to the protection afforded to business owners of a Limited Liability Company (LLC). This video identifies who’s liability is protected and who is not.
VIDEO: Limits to Limited Liability Read More »
Most people associate registering their business with the Secretary of State as the proper way to secure their unique business name. While this reason is partially true, it is not the real reason a business needs to register their entity with the Secretary of State. In this short video, we discussed the real reasons why
VIDEO: The Real Reason for Registering an Entity Read More »
I often encounter clients that want to create a non-profit business. They all too often think that the primary difference is just one pays taxes and the other does not. They think that as long as they have a social benefit, they can be considered a non-profit. However, there is a vast difference between their
Non-Profit or For-Profit? Read More »
While crowdfunding is becoming more and more common, tax support and guidance for the campaign creators continue to remain unclear on many points. At a minimum, the tax treatment of funds generated through crowdfunding depends on whether the campaign is reward-based, donation-based, or equity-based. Moreover, if it is reward-based, the value of any reward offered
Taxes and Crowdfunding Read More »
One of the most confusing issues facing many newbie business people is related to the confusion and frustration related to taxes, vocabulary, and acronyms.
Business Confusion About Taxes, Vocabulary, and Acronyms Read More »
The Federal Debt as of Jan 2021 is nearing $28 trillion with another $1,9 trillion stimulus bill being considered. When I wrote this post initially in 2015 the federal debt was about to cross $18 trillion. What does a nearly $30 trillion debt have to do with me? It is not my debt. Someone else
A Strategy to Lower Income Taxes Read More »
By transferring a traditional IRA into a self-directed IRA, the IRA owner can invest in private businesses and in real estate as well as traditional sources
Using a Self-Directed IRA to Fund Your Business Read More »
Many would-be entrepreneurs have money tied up in retirement plans like IRAs or 401ks that could be used to fund their businesses. Many simply believe they can’t access these funds until they reach the age of 59.5 without being subject to a premature distribution penalty. That being said, there are a few ways that you
Retirement Account Funds New Business Read More »
Income tax is paid on a company’s Net Profit which is the amount that is left over after you subtract your COGS, business operating expenses and allocations.
Business Income Tax – What You Need To Know Read More »
Many new business owners make several formation errors during and after the registration process that can come back and bite them later. 1, One common formation error is that the registering agent fails to include an entity identifier in the name, such as LLC or Inc. 2, Once registered, many LLCs fail to produce an operating
Seven Common Business Formation Errors Read More »
I often encounter businesses that at their core are pure services businesses, but which also sell products as part of their offerings. For example, consider a small part-time mobile oil change business. They are primarily in the service business of changing a person’s oil. However, their service includes the sale of motor oil. I’m often
Sales Tax Workarounds for Service Oriented Businesses Read More »
