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Casual Articles - Beware of the Top 20 Costly Mistakes, Even One Could Cost You Your Business
If you've been watching those late night infomercials, you may be convinced that the US government is giving away Free Money to just about anybody who needs some. Your savings and even your home may be at risk if your business fails, so the thought of a free government grant to start your business is very tempting. Grants are given by an organization or local government officers to a business in line with their particular projects success.In return, you have to pay a 2% of your outstanding loan each year to the business service sector of the government who helped you acquire the loan. Small business loans
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND L
You're planning to pursue a new career, but how can you be sure your choice is a good one? Consider the following five career factors.1. Your Passions People often overlook their own passions when it comes to making life-defining decisions. Perhaps your dad always said you should be a business major because you'd be guaranteed a high-paying job after graduation. Or your mom nudged you into teaching because you'd be able to find a job anywhere in the country. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with being a teacher or a business person, but if those occupations don't fit your fancy, you'll be m
We've talked to literally hundreds of business owners over the years. If there's one thing we've learned beyond the shadow of a doubt from those who have been sued, needlessly poured money down bottomless tax or expense holes, or whose businesses have failed, it's this: NOT ONE was excited over the few bucks they saved by using a low cost incorporator -- or worse, flying solo -- to incorporate or establish an LLC for their business.
Years and untold dollars later, they sorely regret the hard work, stress, and many, many lost hours of time with family and friends -- consumed instead by lawyers, bankers, accountants and creditors, while picking up the pieces of the wreckage from a devastating lawsuit or bankruptcy.
All those losses could have been prevented by proper planning with the right company to support them. All those losses were the indirect, and sometimes direct result of “penny-wise, pound foolish” thinking. They've learned (the hard way) the value of having a company like NCP to be at their side, constantly guarding against missteps and roadblocks.
We hear the same basic horror stories told over and over again. And while we'd never say “we told you so,” we've learned from them as well. Let us share with you the 20 most common mistakes they've made, both before and after their entity formation:
10 Costly Mistakes Before Entity Formation:
1. Forming an LLC and NOT knowing how it's taxed (Are you a single or multi-member LLC? Will you be disregarded for tax purposes, taxed as a partnership, a C-, or an S-corporation?)
2. Forming an LLC for real estate and NOT knowing which is best. Is the property investor vs. dealer? (Make the wrong choice, and be doomed to a life of unnecessary taxes.) 3. Forming an LLC and having it managed by Members instead of Managers (A sure way to lose flexibility and control)
4. Forming an S corporation and NOT knowing the shareholder rules (Imagine discovering years later that you've violated an S corporation shareholder rule -- and that you now owe years of expensive C corporation back taxes.)
5. Forming an S corporation when your company anticipates future value (There must be a better approach… and indeed, there is!)
6. Forming a C corporation to take advantage of fringe benefits when your business doesn't fit the C corporation model. (Can you spell nightmare?)
7. Forming an entity in Nevada and NOT knowing when to foreign register, and for what reasons. (“Can't you just get a mailbox?”)
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND LL
When you ask the right Joint Venture questions, you open the vault to riches. People like to talk about themselves, their goals and their problems. When we help them make their dreams come true and offer solutions for their problems, we all win and everyone makes money. Savvy Joint Venture Brokers know that it’s all about the right approach. Here are five powerful approaches that you can use, today, to make real money, real fast.1. What do I have to create, bring to you or offer you in order for you to write me a check for $2,000 per month / $10,000?2. What do you want, more than anything else, in
All those losses could have been prevented by proper planning with the right company to support them. All those losses were the indirect, and sometimes direct result of “penny-wise, pound foolish” thinking. They've learned (the hard way) the value of having a company like NCP to be at their side, constantly guarding against missteps and roadblocks.
We hear the same basic horror stories told over and over again. And while we'd never say “we told you so,” we've learned from them as well. Let us share with you the 20 most common mistakes they've made, both before and after their entity formation:
10 Costly Mistakes Before Entity Formation:
1. Forming an LLC and NOT knowing how it's taxed (Are you a single or multi-member LLC? Will you be disregarded for tax purposes, taxed as a partnership, a C-, or an S-corporation?)
2. Forming an LLC for real estate and NOT knowing which is best. Is the property investor vs. dealer? (Make the wrong choice, and be doomed to a life of unnecessary taxes.) 3. Forming an LLC and having it managed by Members instead of Managers (A sure way to lose flexibility and control)
4. Forming an S corporation and NOT knowing the shareholder rules (Imagine discovering years later that you've violated an S corporation shareholder rule -- and that you now owe years of expensive C corporation back taxes.)
5. Forming an S corporation when your company anticipates future value (There must be a better approach… and indeed, there is!)
6. Forming a C corporation to take advantage of fringe benefits when your business doesn't fit the C corporation model. (Can you spell nightmare?)
7. Forming an entity in Nevada and NOT knowing when to foreign register, and for what reasons. (“Can't you just get a mailbox?”)
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND L
Do you know the five things to ask your Yellow Page representative? You should, because they determine a lot about your advertising. How about the best type of headline? Okay, what about ad costs? How much should you be spending? Still in the dark? You’re not alone. Most business people know little about a media that’s been around over 100 years and is a fixture in every consumer’s home. But it’s not your fault.If you’re a typical advertiser, you get the bulk of your information each year when your YP rep comes around. Depending on how efficient they are, they will pass on al
10 Costly Mistakes Before Entity Formation:
1. Forming an LLC and NOT knowing how it's taxed (Are you a single or multi-member LLC? Will you be disregarded for tax purposes, taxed as a partnership, a C-, or an S-corporation?)
2. Forming an LLC for real estate and NOT knowing which is best. Is the property investor vs. dealer? (Make the wrong choice, and be doomed to a life of unnecessary taxes.) 3. Forming an LLC and having it managed by Members instead of Managers (A sure way to lose flexibility and control)
4. Forming an S corporation and NOT knowing the shareholder rules (Imagine discovering years later that you've violated an S corporation shareholder rule -- and that you now owe years of expensive C corporation back taxes.)
5. Forming an S corporation when your company anticipates future value (There must be a better approach… and indeed, there is!)
6. Forming a C corporation to take advantage of fringe benefits when your business doesn't fit the C corporation model. (Can you spell nightmare?)
7. Forming an entity in Nevada and NOT knowing when to foreign register, and for what reasons. (“Can't you just get a mailbox?”)
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND L
Mystery shoppers. For some it conjures up images of private eyes and undercover detectives. That's fair. In Nevada, a mystery shopper is required to register with a firm that is in association with the Private Investigative Licensing Board. Somewhat funny, but true. If you shop, and I'm sure you do, you have probably bumped into someone on a shopping assignment. Did you notice them? Doubtful. Or you may have found yourself on the receiving end of an evaluation by a mystery shopper. Did you realize it at the time? Probably not. But what is mystery shopping exactly? And can you really make money for shopping?<
4. Forming an S corporation and NOT knowing the shareholder rules (Imagine discovering years later that you've violated an S corporation shareholder rule -- and that you now owe years of expensive C corporation back taxes.)
5. Forming an S corporation when your company anticipates future value (There must be a better approach… and indeed, there is!)
6. Forming a C corporation to take advantage of fringe benefits when your business doesn't fit the C corporation model. (Can you spell nightmare?)
7. Forming an entity in Nevada and NOT knowing when to foreign register, and for what reasons. (“Can't you just get a mailbox?”)
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND L
The business of construction has its highs and lows, as there are investments of equipment and tools as well as payroll for labor in today's economy. For smaller contractors the question of worth in purchasing construction estimating software comes to the drawing table.A small contracting business is one not determined by the amount of take home pay, or the number of projects one has fulfilled, rather it entails the various jobs the must be taken care of by the contractor. Smaller contractors have other areas of interest to stay on top of, such as duties of human resource, business accounting as well as e
8. Forming an entity and hiring independent contactors and employees WITHOUT knowing the rules. (It makes a difference as to which states you'll need to foreign register.)
9. Forming an LLC taxed as a partnership WITHOUT having an “official” partner . (Maybe the IRS won't notice…)
10. Selecting an inexperienced or disreputable company to help you form your entity. (There's no excuse for not checking references with the BBB, local professional organizations and testimonials.)
10 Costly Mistakes After Entity Formation:
1. NOT completing corporate AND LLC formalities (Yes, LLCs should have them too!) 2. NOT completing the LLC operating agreement (Unless you've got a lemonade stand, it's essential)
3. NOT properly capitalizing the entity, and especially not being crystal clear with partners about your capitalization (A disaster waiting to happen!)
4. Putting LLC Members on payroll vs guaranteed payments (Do you know the advantages?)
5. Forming an LLC taxed as an S corporation and having the incorrect operating agreement (A subtle, but effective nuance that must be handled properly.)
6. NOT completing a buy sell agreement for the partners (Again, being crystal clear will save your sanity.)
7. Falling behind on employee payroll taxes to the IRS and your state (This will cost your business dearly -- at best .)
8. NOT meeting with your CPA to set up a chart of accounts (Running your business off a checking account balance is a fast track to bankruptcy.)
9. Registering your domain name to your operating entity (This may account for 70% or more of your lead generation-a huge asset at risk.)
10. NOT obtaining the proper business licenses (Being out of compliance can punch gaping holes in your bottom line.)
We at NCP pride ourselves on conscientious, well-informed expertise to help you avoid these costly mistakes. We take the time with you to ensure that we understand every relevant aspect of your company, and diligently do our homework so that you're fully prepared for whatever the business world throws at you. Remember, you get what you pay for!
Don't wait until January to get started! Incorporate before the end of the year and get a head start on tracking your Schedule C for 2007. Waiting until the last minute is a sure way to show up on the IRS 's radar!
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