Ownership costs vary depending on the market your business belongs to. Typically, your initial expenses include state and federal fees, taxes, equipment supplies, offices, bank fees, and any professional services your business wants to receive. Some examples of these businesses include freelance writers, tutors, accountants, cleaning service providers, and babysitters. With their formal governance and ownership structures, companies can sustain any level of growth. In general, structure becomes beneficial as a business grows. Some of the advantages are: The most common types of businesses include sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and cooperatives. Here you will find more information about each type of legal structure. A cooperative (also called a cooperative) is a business owned and controlled by those who use its services. Individuals and businesses that are members of the co-op join forces to market products, purchase supplies and provide services to their members. When well managed, co-operatives increase the profits of their producer members and reduce costs for their consumer members. Co-operatives are quite common in the farming community. For example, approximately 750 cranberry and grapefruit member growers market their cranberry sauce, fruit juices and dried cranberries through the Ocean Spray Co-op. [6] More than three hundred thousand farmers source the products they need for production – animal feed, seeds, fertilizers, agricultural supplies, fuel – through the Southern States Cooperative.

[7] Cooperatives also exist outside agriculture. For example, MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op), which sells high-quality outdoor equipment, has more than 5 million members across the country who have each paid $5 for their lifetime membership. The company shares its financial success with its members and also donates 1% of its turnover to maintain its stake in nature. Incorporation also allows companies to raise funds through the sale of shares. This is a great advantage because a company is growing and needs more funds to work and compete. Depending on its size and financial strength, the company also has an advantage over other forms of business when it comes to taking out bank loans. An established business can borrow its own funds, but when a small business needs a loan, the bank usually requires it to be guaranteed by its owners. A partnership (or partnership) is a business jointly owned by two or more people. About 10% of U.S. companies are partnerships[2], and while the vast majority are small, some are quite large.

For example, the Big Four accounting firms Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young and KPMG are partnerships. Starting a partnership is more complex than starting a sole proprietorship, but it`s still relatively simple and inexpensive. Costs vary depending on size and complexity. It is possible to form a simple partnership without the help of a lawyer or accountant, although it is usually a good idea to get professional advice. An LLP is a legal entity available in some states to provide the simplicity and pass-through taxation of a partnership while limiting the liability of partners. In addition to a formal operating agreement between the partners, LLPs generally require registration with the Secretary of State. A form of ownership that is granted when the owners are not personally liable for the debts that the LLC accumulates (as in a corporation) and the LLC can be managed flexibly (as in a partnership). “Limited liability companies were created to provide business owners with the liability protection that businesses enjoy, while profits and losses can be passed on to owners as income on their personal tax returns,” said Brian Cairns, CEO of ProStrategix Consulting. “LLCs may have one or more members, and profits and losses do not need to be divided equally among members.” When it comes to start-up and operational complexity, nothing is easier than being a sole proprietorship.

All you need to do is register your name, start doing business, report the profits, and pay taxes on it as personal income. However, it can be difficult to obtain external financing. Partnerships, on the other hand, require a signed agreement to define roles and percentages of profits. Companies and LLCs have various reporting obligations to state and federal governments. “States have different requirements for different business structures,” Friedman said. “Depending on where you settle, there may also be different requirements at the municipal level. When choosing your structure, you understand the state and industry you are in. It`s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and businesses may not know what applies to them.

“Choosing the right legal form for your business starts with analyzing your company`s goals and considering local, state, and federal laws. By defining your goals, you can choose the legal structure that best fits your company`s culture. As your business grows, you can change your legal structure to meet the new needs of your business. An example of this type of business is Google. In 1995, co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin created a small search engine and made it the world`s first search engine. The co-founders first met at Stanford University during their Ph.D. and then set off to develop a beta version of their search engine. Soon after, they raised $1 million from investors and Google received thousands of visitors a day. With a combined 16% stake in Google, they get a total net worth of nearly $46 billion. In Ontario, through the small business tax deduction, a registered business pays a tax rate of 15 per cent on the first $500,000 per year and 26.5 per cent on anything beyond that. Prices vary by province. A lower tax rate is one of the main advantages of starting a business.

However, accountants distinguish that taxes are not saved, but deferred. Indeed, when money is withdrawn from the business for personal use, in the form of wages or dividends, the person pays about the same tax rate as if he or she were a sole proprietor. This is called the “integration theory” in the Canadian tax system. A special form of corporation for small companies with a limited number of owners/shareholders separated from the company`s liabilities. Profits are only taxed at the level of individual owners. Liability: A corporation is an “immortal” legal entity, meaning it does not end with the death of the shareholder. The shareholders of the company have limited liability because they are not personally liable for the debts and obligations of the company. Shareholders cannot lose more money than the amount they have invested in the company. Like the provisions of an LLC, shareholders must be careful not to “penetrate the corporate veil.” Personal checking accounts should not be used for business purposes and the company name should always be used when interacting with customers.