You may have a great idea for a new business, but to get your start-up off the ground, you must comply with all the necessary legal requirements for starting an organization.
Many of these legal requirements include tax obligations, employment laws, and financial regulations. By ensuring that your business complies with all these responsibilities, you can get back to concentrating on the growth of your business.
Here are six of the most important legal requirements to get you started.
1. Create a corporation or an LLC. Initially, one of the first requirements will be selecting the business structure for your organization. You may select between a corporation or an LLC (Limited Liability Company).
Keep in mind that there are pros and cons associated with both structures. You need to perform research before you choose the most suitable business structure for the start-up. An LLC can protect you from personal liabilities in most conditions, while a corporation is a business that is separate from the owners legally. Corporations offer greater personal financial protection from liabilities, but also are complex and expensive.
2. Register the business name. After you have decided about the structure, you will be required to register the company name. Select a name that reflects your brand, and make sure it’s not already claimed by someone else.
Next, register your business. You can do so online by using one of the company incorporation services. There are four ways of registering companies:
- Having an entity name that protects your business at the state level.
- A trademark that protects the business legally for federal eyes.
- DBA (Doing Business As) that doesn’t offer any legal protection
- The domain name that will provide a web address for your company.
3. Applying for an EIN (Employee Identification Number). The federal tax identification number of your company is also known as an EIN. This legally permits you to hire employees, apply for business licenses, pay federal taxes, and open a bank account for the business. You may apply for an EIN by using the IRS site. Your business is going to need the EIN while filing tax returns, recruiting and paying the employees, operating the company as a business, and using tax-deferred pension plans.
4. Decide whether you require a state tax ID number. Do some research to see if the business will need a state tax ID number. You are going to need one if your state is collecting taxes from the companies. As tax obligations change from state to state, it’s always a good idea to visit the website of the state to find the local laws that are related to your employment tax and income obligations.
5. Obtain the necessary licenses and permits. You will have to apply for business permits and licenses at the state and federal level. The specific permits you are going to need depend on the sector and location of the business.
The SBA (Small Business Administration) will provide a list of the common federal business licenses that you’ll need, depending on the niche. So, it’s a great starting point for performing your research. At the state level, the different permits and licenses you need, along with the fee you have to pay, depend on the location and primary business activities.
6. Protect the company by using insurance. By using business insurance, you can protect your business, especially in places where personal liability protection is not sufficient. Your business insurance will not only protect the personal assets, but also take care of the business assets.
Some of these insurances are needed by law, such as disability and unemployment insurance. You are well-advised to buy business insurance for protecting your new business from probable risks. Some of the common kinds of business insurances are commercial property insurance, general liability insurance, and product liability insurance.
Taking necessary legal steps before starting your business
For making sure that you have covered all the legal aspects of a new enterprise, it’s wise to consult with professionals for legal advice. Consider the possibility of sitting down separately with accountants and lawyers to ensure that the business is correctly protected from a financial and legal standpoint before you open the business.
