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At Mark S. Freedman, CPA, Inc. we believe that educating our clients to be savvier in how they handle their finances and investments, will make a big difference in their tax obligations and bottom line. Please enjoy the article below. We will periodically be adding material to help your nest egg grow.

This Month's Article:

To be, or not to be – that is the question…a Corporation or LLC

When business owners choose to become a corporation or limited liability company (“LLC”), they often do so without investigating whether or not it is the best fit for their business. An LLC or a corporation formation should be considered when the business owner has personal wealth that could be lost in lawsuits or liens against the company. Having either of these designations protects your personal monies and property from being seized. Your business and your personal wealth are in a sense "divorced" from one another.

Business owners who incorporate or create an LLC can make a special election (S Corporation) and save up to $10,000 in social security taxes. Multiple owners who elect to form an LLC can allocate profit, losses, and ownership in different percentages.

Although, there are legal differences between these two types of entities, this article will deal only with the operational differences. The following diagram applies only for the State of California.

	CORPORATION	LLC
Limited liability	Yes	Yes
Meeting required	Minimum of 1 per year for Board of Directors and Shareholders	None
Issue stock (certificates)	Yes	No
Flexibility in ownership & Profit precentages	No	Yes
Officers & directors required	Yes	No
Separate tax returns required	Yes	Single owner - No Multiple owners - Yes
Taxable income subject to 15.3% self-employment tax	No	Yes
$800.00 minimum tax due every year	Yes	Yes

As you can see from the diagram, both options have its advantages and disadvantages. To find out how your business might profit from becoming a corporation or an LLC contact the offices of Mark S. Freedman, CPA, Inc.