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Choose a Business Entity (Continued)
Understand sole proprietorships
If you're the sole investor in your business and you want
full control with minimum paperwork, consider sole proprietorship.
It could actually make you more profitable in the end. Many
businesses start out as sole proprietorships, then incorporate
as they begin to grow. Advantages of sole proprietorship include:
Convenience. You avoid all the cost and paperwork
associated with starting and maintaining a corporation. You
simply need to abide by local and state business regulations.
Control. You can make all decisions relating to your
business without consulting partners or a board of directors.
This provides increased flexibility, letting you make advantageous
decisions on the spot.
Simpler tax structure. Income from a sole proprietorship
counts as personal income, which means the business itself
does not have to pay taxes. That removes a whole step from
the taxation process, and could actually net you more money.
There are disadvantages, however, including:
Unlimited liability. You will be personally responsible
for debts and other liabilities you incur in the course of
doing business. If business assets do not cover the amount
owed, you could lose personal assets, including your home.
This is the single biggest reason to consider incorporation.
No checks or balances. A board of directors may seem
like a hassle, but their expertise can be invaluable. As a
sole proprietor, there's nobody around to catch your mistakes.
Trouble raising capital. Investors are more hesitant
since they could end up personally responsible for business
debts and other liabilities.
Fragility. If a sole proprietor dies or becomes incapacitated
without a will or some other clearly written agreement, the
business could cease to operate.