Business structure is essential for starting a new business to determine profit-sharing and personal liabilities.
The structure decision can impact day-to-day operations, personal liability, taxation, paperwork, and other aspects.
Common business structures include sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Sole proprietorship offers complete control, easy setup, simple tax reporting, and privacy, and is best for low-risk businesses.
Partnership allows shared finances, combined knowledge, and flexible management, but personal tax returns also reflect the business's profits.
Corporation requires more regulations, record-keeping, and tax requirements, but offers liability protection, simple ownership transfers, and cash accounting.
S corporations pay one level of federal tax and shareholders are not taxed at the corporate tax rates, and offer simple ownership transfers, cash accounting, and liability protection.
LLC combines features of both partnership and corporation, ideal for medium- or high-risk businesses, and offers limited liability, pass-through taxation and added shareholder participation, and flexible distribution of profits.
Choosing the best structure requires considering aspects like the number of owners, liability protection, taxes, regulations, and growth potential.