Management Structure Of S Corporations
In contrast, S corporations are required to have a board of directors and corporate officers. The board of directors oversees the management and is in charge of major corporate decisions, while the corporate officers, such as the chief executive officer and chief financial officer , manage the company’s business operations on a day-to-day basis.
Other differences include the fact that an S corporations existence, once established, is usually perpetual, while this is not typically the case with an LLC, where events such as the departure of a member/owner may result in the dissolution of the LLC.
LLCs and S corporations are business structures that impact a company’s exposure to liability and how the business and business owner are taxed.
Changing From A Sole Proprietorship
If you want to change your sole proprietorship to another business type, you’ll need to register your business with your state. You will need to close out business accounts and any contracts may need to be changed.
Business registrations are regulated by state business divisions. See this list to find your state’s business division or agency.
Sole proprietorship to partnership or Limited Liability Company The business must register as an LLC or partnership with the state in which it is doing business.
Sole proprietorship to corporation. The process to change a sole proprietorship to a corporation is similar to the change to an LLC or partnershipfiling registration documents with the state in which you are doing business.
Sole proprietorship to S Corporation. The change of any business entity to an S corporation requires first the formation of a corporation, then a request to the IRS to elect S corporation status.
Llc Electing S Corp Tax Status: An Option You May Not Know You Have
If you think you can benefit from the combined features of using an LLC to own and operate your small business and then having it be taxed like an S corporation, the possibility exists to establish your business as an LLC, but then make the election to have it treated as an S corporation by the IRS for tax purposes.
If you decide to form an LLC to own and operate your small business, you have a couple of choices for how you want your LLC to be taxed. For federal income tax purposes, there is no such thing as being taxed as an LLC. Instead, an LLC can be taxed like a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a C corporation orif it qualifiesan S corporation.
Although being taxed like an S corporation is probably chosen the least often by small business owners, it is an option. For some LLCs and their owners, this can actually provide a tax savings, particularly if the LLC operates an active trade or business and the payroll taxes on the owner or owners is high.
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When To Switch From Sole Proprietorship To S Corporation
Its time to switch from a sole proprietorship to an S corporation when your business becomes profitable and carries financial risk.
Unlike a sole proprietorship, an S corporation protects the owners from personal liability for the companys financial obligations.
Recommended: To learn more about which business structure would be best for your small business, visit our Choosing a Business Structure guide.
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Potential Benefits Of Changing To An Llc
So, whats wrong with operating as a sole proprietorship? Well, possibly nothing but it depends on the situation. No entity type is ideal for every business!
There is no legal or financial separation between the business owner and the company in a sole proprietorship. Therefore, if someone sues the business or the company runs into money troubles, the owner is personally responsible for any legal claims and debts. That puts the owners home, cars, bank accounts, retirement savings, and much more at risk of being taken to settle those obligations.
By forming an LLC, business owners can help protect their personal assets and property. An LLC is a separate legal entity from its owners. So, under most circumstances, an LLCs owner is not personally liable for the legal and financial debts of the business.
Also, an LLC provides tax flexibility. By default, an LLC is taxed the same as a sole proprietorship, with all profits and losses flowing through to the owners individual income tax returns. However, LLCs that meet the IRSs eligibility requirements may elect to be taxed as an S Corporation to help alleviate some of the self-employment tax burdens on their members.
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What Happens To The Current Business/contractor License Or Certificate
In most cases the license, certificate or registration becomes inactive and replaced by the new business structure. Exceptions are:
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Plumbing contractors because the license number is held by the master plumber or restricted master plumber associated with the plumbing contractor.
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Water conditioning contractors because the license number is held by the water conditioning contractor.
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Certified pipelayers because there is no license number issued to businesses that file a plumbing contractor code compliance bond to install water and sewer lines external to building structures.
Licenses and certificates issued to business entities required to obtain and file a bond are inactivated and a new license or certificate issued to the new business entity.
Are You The Sole Proprietor Of A Canadian Business Now Earning Enough Profit To Use Incorporation As A Tax Advantage
Right now, as a sole proprietor, you are entirely responsible for your business, which includes any incurred debt and lawsuits that may come your way via creditors or clients. If your profits put your income in a higher tax bracket, youll also end up paying more in taxes. If your business has grown enough for you to worry about these responsibilities, youre ready to switch from a sole proprietorship to a corporation.
When you incorporate your business with the Canadian government, it becomes a business entity that is independent and will not pass on either its income taxes or its liability to you. Incorporation makes it much more difficult for someone to go after your personal assets if the business defaults on debts. Your life savings will be protected from any lawsuits and debt incurred by your company.
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How To Switch From Sole Proprietorship To S Corporation
There are several essential steps to switch from a sole proprietorship to an S corporation. Many people who go into business on their own choose to operate as a sole proprietor. As the business grows, they may find that they dont have the right business structure for their tax and accounting needs. If youre a business owner looking to switch your sole proprietorship to an S corp, you need to complete several simple procedures. Read on to discover how to switch from a sole proprietorship to S corporation.
Llc Vs Sole Proprietorship: How To Choose
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Choosing a business entity structure for your company is one of the most importantbut potentially most confusingdecisions youll make as a small business owner. Unless youre a lawyer or tax expert, the differences between each type of business entity can be hard to understand in real-life terms. However, your choice of business entity does have real-world impact, such as how much you pay in taxes, how much time you have to spend on paperwork, and what happens if someone sues your company.
New business owners are often confused about the difference between a limited liability company and sole proprietorship. In this guide, well look closely at LLCs vs. sole proprietorships, and explain exactly how they differ in terms of formation, taxes, legal protection, and more.
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Youre Able To Draw A Salary From Your Company
The owner of a sole proprietorship pays both self-employment tax and income tax on the companys net profits. The owner of an S corp only pays self-employment tax on the salary drawn from the company, not distributions.
Recommended: Take a look at our article for a complete look into the pros and cons of electing S corp for your business.
S Corporation Taxation And Fees
S corporations can elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to their shareholders for federal tax purposes. The shareholders of the S corporation would report the flow-through of income and losses on their personal tax returns. As a result, the assessed tax would be calculated based on their individual income tax rates. This pass-through feature helps S corporations to avoid double taxation, meaning the company’s income is taxed at the corporate level and again when dividend income paid to shareholders is taxed on their personal income tax returns.
S Corporations must use Form 1120S to file their taxes. Form 1120S is a tax document that is used to report the income, losses, and dividends of S corporation shareholders
The fees to establish an S corporation can vary significantly, depending on the complexity of the corporation and state in which it’s established, but some of the fees can include:
- Fees for the articles of incorporation, which might be $100 to $250, depending on the state
- Lawyer fees to process the legal documents can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars if the S corporation structure is more complex
- Annual reporting fees within the state might be required and can cost $500 to $800 per year
- Accounting costs for financial reporting and tax services should be considered
- Insurance costs can vary depending on the type of business
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Which Is Better An Llc Or S Corp
An LLC is better for a single-owner and likely better for a partnership. An LLC is more appropriate for business owners whose primary concern is business management flexibility. This owner wants to avoid all, but a minimum of corporate paperwork does not project a need for extensive outside investment and does not plan on taking her company public and selling the stock.
In general, the smaller, simpler, and more personally managed the business is, the more appropriate the LLC structure would be for the owner. If your business is larger and more complex, an S corporation structure would likely be more appropriate.
How To Change From A Sole Proprietorship To A Corporation
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As a Canadian business owner, there are plenty of ways that you can expand your operation beyond the private sector. In fact, as your enterprise grows and starts earning more income, you might want to consider taking the next step incorporation.
However, before that can happen, youll need to file the right paperwork that, when approved, allows you to switch over from your sole proprietorship. Not sure how this is done? Keep reading to find out.
to see how you can expand your business with new capital.
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Converting From A Sole Proprietorship To An S Corp
S corporations require that all shareholders unanimously elect to become an S corporation. Once everyone has voted, the business must perform the following steps to convert from a sole proprietorship to an S corporation:
Responsibilities Of The Llc Owner
With a new business structure comes new responsibilities. An LLC is a step further in business and, therefore, must follow specific laws and policies. LLC owners need to abide by the rules if they want to avoid piercing the corporate veil.
Can you pierce the LLC veil? The required behind the scene work that is needed to keep the LCC operating includes:
Being Mindful of Liabilities
The primary obligation of an LLC is to fulfill contractual obligations and pay the debt it incurs. In other words, they must comply with such responsibilities as performing properly under contracts, scheduling loan payments, paying wages, and compensating contractors, etc.
Other LLC responsibilities include:
Following Rules of Operating Agreement
One of the main differences that stands out when comparing LLC vs sole proprietorship is the operating agreement. LLCs are legally obligated to follow the rules of the agreement.
Paying Taxes
There is, however, an exception to the rule in the instance where the LLC chooses corporate taxation. LLC responsibilities will then include paying taxes as a business entity.
Filing Reports
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What Is A Sole Proprietorship
A sole proprietorship is the simplest and most common business entity. As of 2010, there were more than 23 million operating in the U.S. A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business with one person or a married couple as its owner.
While a sole proprietorship is a business entity, it is not a legal entity. Sole proprietors report business income and losses on their personal tax returns. They are solely responsible for any business debts or legal obligations. One of the pros of a sole proprietorship is how easy they are to establish. Typically, you dont need to register a sole proprietorship with the state, and you dont need to file separate taxes.
But because you dont register a sole proprietorship, your business name will default to your legal name. Youll need to file a DBA or doing business as to establish your businesss trade name.
While theyre easy to start and manage, sole proprietorships come with many legal, financial, and business risks. If somebody sues a sole proprietorship, the individual or couple who owns the business is personally responsible for any damages a judge awards. Additionally, sole proprietors often find it harder to get business loans or land big clients. They also have certain tax disadvantages compared to other business entities.
How To Switch To An Llc
Generally, most sole proprietors are allowed to change to an LLC. However, some states require certain licensed professionals to organize as different types of entities. Whenever considering a change to legal structure, business owners should make sure they know their states restrictions and requirements.
That said, the process for changing from a sole proprietorship to an LLC is fairly similar in all states. Below, Ive listed the typical steps. Keep in mind that there are nuances from state to state, so its mission-critical that sole proprietors research what they must do to legally make the switch.
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Differences Between Sole Proprietorships And Corporations
A sole proprietorship doesnt stand alone as a legal entity as its just you operating a business. You may have registered a business name, but legally thats only a marketing tool. Corporations, however, remain separate and distinct from their owners, the shareholders, and they have directors that make business decisions. In practice, you may be the only shareholder, director, and employee of the corporation, but the Canadian government still considers it a separate entity nonetheless.
When you start a corporation, you have various roles in the company, and understanding them helps you know which hat to wear when you make decisions. As a distinct entity, the corporation needs to prepare financial statements, file annual tax returns, and pay its own taxes. This makes it essential to keep your corporate books, bank accounts, and government registrations separate from your personal financial records.
S Corp Tax Implications
Filing business taxes as an S corp has some advantages to business owners. If you form a corporation, the election effectively eliminates the double taxation that affects C corporations profit distributions to S corp shareholders aren’t treated as taxable dividends, because S corp shareholders report their respective shares of business profits on their own returns and taxes are only paid once. Another benefit is that a shareholder doesn’t have to pay self-employment tax on his entire share of profits as sole proprietors and partners do. Instead, if you pay yourself a reasonable salary, you’ll only owe self-employment tax on those wages, but not on profit distributions.
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