Richard Chapo

Incorporating with an Incorporator

Deciding to form a business entity is often a wise choice for most businesses. What seems simple can quickly become confusing given all the legal jargon. If you want to incorporate, you have a couple of different choices regarding how to go about the ... Read >

S-Corporations – State and Tax Issues

More than a few people prefer to form corporations to protect their businesses, but look for a more favorable tax situation. The answer, of course, is the S-corporation. For a long time, corporations were the dominant business entity available to mos... Read >

Pros and Cons of Being a Limited Liability Company

Limited liability companies are the popular new choice for business start-ups. The "LLC" has only been in existence for roughly 26 years and there are some definite pros and cons. A limited liability company is a creature of state law. Prior to the la... Read >

Understanding the Close Corporation

If ever there was a misunderstood business entity, it is the close corporation. Most people have heard of them, but have no idea what they are. Well, the answer is pretty simple. First off, a close corporation is not a business that has been shut down... Read >

Should You Use A Fictitious Business Name

When forming a business, it is often difficult to come up with a name. Many people just use their personal name, but a fictitious business name filing provides other opportunities. When naming your business, it is often smart to assign your own name t... Read >

Guide To Sole Proprietorships

Many people starting a business have little knowledge or interest in business entities and thus become sole proprietors. There are pros and cons to this approach. A sole proprietorship is a default business form. If you start your own business and do ... Read >

Checklist for Going Into Business for Yourself

If you are considering going into business for yourself, it makes absolute sense to be as prepared as possible. Here is a checklist of things you need to consider. 1. Living Funds - Unless you are one of the very lucky few, your business will not be p... Read >

Should You Start A Business With A Friend?

Starting a business is a scary and exciting time. It takes a leap of faith, but also offers up the hope of successfully doing something you love. Still, there are things to be wary of. When taking the leap of faith on a business, people will often look... Read >

Strange Things About Different Business Entities

If you are contemplating forming an entity for your business, there is a lot of information to consider. Here are some of the more esoteric things you will not see discussed in most how to guides. The Next Google - Ambition and hope are the two attrib... Read >

The Misunderstood World of Corporate Minutes

The corporation is the most used form of business entity in the United States. While many people form the entity, most don't understand the corporate minute requirements. A corporation is a stand alone business entity. It is favored as a business form... Read >

Partnerships Compared to Limited Liability Partnerships

There are a variety of ways to structure the formation of a business. Partnerships and limited liability partnerships are two of the choices. If you are currently running a business, you might be in for a surprise. If the business has two or more owne... Read >

Corps Compared to Limited Liability Companies

If you start a business, you should strongly consider forming an entity to protect you from liability. Corporations and limited liability companies are two of the more popular choices. The first thing to understand is a corporation is a different busi... Read >

A Unique Strategy for Limited Partnerships

General partnerships are often frowned upon as a business entity because they expose the partners to all kinds of liability exposure. The limited partnership may offer a solution to this problem. A limited partnership is more or less what the name sug... Read >

Problems with Friends Forming A Corporation or LLC

There is a cliché that you should never go into business with your friends because they will soon become former friends. This is particularly true with business entity formations. Starting a business is a positive move. One tends to think of the succe... Read >

Basic Steps to Avoid Identity Theft

In the modern digital world, identity theft is a serious concern. Avoiding identity theft is all about using your common sense. Identity theft is simply what is says. Someone steals your identity for the purpose of using it for a fraudulent transactio... Read >