The business structure know as an LLC is easiest described as being a hybrid between a partnership and a corporation. To put it simply, an LLC give a business many of the benefits of a corporation without all of the protocols usually associated with a corporation.

The owners of an LLC, who are called member, are looked upon as a partnership for tax purposes. It is a pass-thru tax structure, so income taxes are paid by its member, so the LLC never pays income taxes itself, unlike a corporation.

An LLC never worries about the double-taxation issue that a corporate structure faces. To simplify this, because the tax obligation is put on only the owners, income tax is paid just one time. Though, a limited liability company must still pay state (assuming there is any) and federal payroll taxes.

At the time of LLC formation, a decision is made about how to handle income taxes. You have the choice to handle income taxes as if you were a sole proprietor, a C corporation, or an S corporation. The choice is yours.

If the LLC is set up correctly, and you completely separate business and personal activities, the owners can look forward to certain personal liability protection. This is a big reason why people choose to form an LLC versus operating as a sole proprietor. Also, a business earns more respect when it has a formal business structure, such as an LLC.

Forming an LLC is done by someone who does not necessarily need to be a member. You can actually use an online company to create your LLC for a very reasonable charge, which means you are assured that the structure is properly set up.

A member’s monetary liability is limited to the financial contribution made by that member. When you are operating as a limited liability company, you can bring in more than one partners, who can either be actively involved in the business, or serve as silent investors.

While a limited liability company is similar in structure to a corporation, it allows member more flexibility. Creating an LLC with an incorporate business online company is most suitable for smaller companies in which the number of owners is limited.

The LLC is a relatively new form of business structure, at least in the United States. As a matter of fact, as early as 1986, limited liability companies were only allowed in two states. Now, the limited liability company is recognized in every state.


Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • Twitter
  • Technorati
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • MySpace
  • SphereIt
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb

Tagged with:

Filed under: Everything Else

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!