Being a member in an LLC is similar to being a shareholder in a corporation, or simply being an owner in a business. The members of an LLC are its owners, and typically if there’s more than one, they will sign an Operating Agreement which is a contract governing their rights and duties with respect […]
Typically an LLC enters into its contracts by and through its authorized representatives. For an LLC, that’s going to be its Manager, or one of its Managers if it has more than one. However, if the LLC has chosen to walk and talk like a corporation, it’s going to be the LLC’s CEO, President, Vice […]
Well, if I was your mother, I’d say yes, that’s very complicated, and please just pay him for services rendered. But, as your lawyer, adding him is not that complicated. However, the result is that you’ve now turned what was essentially a sole proprietorship into a partnership, requiring tax returns, fiduciary duties, and ideally, a […]
Nope. There are some pretty strict rules on what you get to name your corporation. Most of those rules can be found in a document regularly updated by the Secretary of State (in California) — click here to take a look. For example, in California, a corporation need not have “Inc.” at the end of […]
Depending on what state your company is located in, this could be as simple as filing a single form with that state’s governing agency. In some states, this may be more complicated, but there’s always a way. Keep in mind, by converting the entity, you will likely have to get it a new Tax ID […]
California, and many other states, require an annual or biannual report filing detailing the names and addresses of the directors and officers (or managers in the case of an LLC). It’s part of the social contract entities have with the public – liability protection in return for transparency. Not filing an SOI can eventually lead […]
The answer to this is similar to the answer for the same question for corporations. However, with LLCs, unless the members require it in their operating agreement, there’s no requirement for meetings and consents, unless the written consents are required by a third party, like a bank. This is the reason some folks try to […]
I’m proud of you for asking such a clever question. Makes me wish the answer was just as thoughtful. Alas, it’s not: there’s no difference. A shareholder in a corporation, and a member in an LLC, are both nomenclature for defining owner. In fact, LLCs are flexible enough such that they can be structured to […]
Terminating an LLC in California is a pretty simple affair. I wouldn’t blame you if this is the one thing you choose to DIY, since you can do it online. There are legal issues, though, in terminating an LLC or any entity. For example, you need to make sure that the LLC’s debts are paid […]
Though I appreciate your need to be thrifty when it comes to starting a new business, this sort of money-saving approach is inadvisable. Occasionally a company will have a “division” or some other kind of structure that makes sense by way of keeping all things under one umbrella. For example, a hardware store may open […]