The corporation pros and cons to know

What do you know about the corporation pros and cons?  The business world is gradually shifting to a startup revolution, but that has not replaced corporations’ strength.

With the corporation pros and cons, it becomes easier to understand why the companies are standing tall despite the technological eruptions in the business world.

What are corporation pros and cons?

When you weigh the corporation pros and cons, you can discover the reasons why many investors are keen on funding these businesses.

Do you want to incorporate your business?  Many investors or business owners want to stay away from personal liability.

When you incorporate your business, you escape double taxation, which helps you save money. However, it comes with both pros and cons.

Why weigh corporation pros and cons?

When you want to understand the type of business you want to invest in, you can start by weighing the corporation pros and cons.

We have different businesses you can consider if you are still skeptical about incorporating your business.

Sole Proprietorship

A single person operates this type of business.  The business is not incorporated, making the owner and business to be taxed as one.

For you to pay tax, you should make use of a Standard Form 1040 and a Schedule C.

Partnership

Limited Liability Corporation (LLC)

A single person or group operates this business.  The business combines its pass-through taxation with its limited liability of a corporation.

The business is not considered a corporation.  Each of the above businesses comes with their pros and cons.

Pros of Forming a Corporation

Before you make up your mind on the type of business you need, you should consider the corporation pros and cons.

Protection from Legal Liability

When you have considered the corporation pros and cons, you will learn how to protect yourself from legal liability.

Once a business is incorporated, the business owner receives a limited liability over activities and debts of the business.

Legally, when a business is incorporated, the business is separated from the owner.  However, for a business to maintain its limited liability, it has some corporate formalities to follow.

Attracting Investors

It becomes easier for you to attract investors when you issue stock to them.  That makes the corporation pros and cons important to understand.

Stock and Stock Options for Employees

The company can offer stock and stock options to staff or employers, which help them, attract the best talents in their companies.

Organization

The power structure of corporations like the shareholders, officers, and directors are enlisted when a company is incorporated.

The roles and responsibilities of each group is highlighted and fully understood.

Shareholder Protection

The corporation pros and cons help investors understand that shareholders are protected from the company’s debts and legal challenges.

Right to Due Process and Equal Protection

When you learn more about the corporation pros and cons, you understand that the Constitution’s Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

These amendments give corporations the rights of due process, including equal protection in legal activities.

Freedom of Speech

When it comes to corporations, they have the right to free speech, unless banned by the state government.

The corporation pros and cons to know

Cons of Forming a Corporation

Tax Liability

The corporation is subjected to tax on earnings. That means that shareholders are taxed on the profits they received as capital gains or dividends.

This happens in large companies. However, small businesses stay away from this challenge when they make use of an “S” Corporation status.

Time and Cost

When you understand the corporation pros and cons, you learn about the document preparation and fees that are paid to  the state’s Secretary of State Office cost time and money.

Complicated

Corporations are designed differently from small businesses. These businesses are difficult to create and maintain.

As an owner of a corporation, you must ensure that your company publishes its annual reports and different data.

When companies publish this information, it becomes creditworthy for people to assess the financial status of the company.

Following Corporate Formalities

Before you form a corporation, you must follow some formalities that must be recognized by the government.

These formalities include maintaining your business’s financial independence, shareholder meetings, records of corporate activities, and board of directors’ meetings.

The California Corporation Tax

For companies starting as corporations in a state like California, they have to pay an annual fee of $800.

The Two Tax Filings

What this means is that a business has to file separate income and business taxes. That is the reason why you should understand the corporation pros and cons.

Businesses cannot deduct their losses on their tax return.

Heavy Regulation

You should know that local, state, and federal entities impose heavy regulations on any corporation company.

That means you have to spend a lot of money on these regulations.  It can affect your business growth and profits.

No Right to Legal Counsel

Since corporation companies are not individual, they cannot get a court-appointed attorney when they cannot afford one as outlined in the Sixth Amendment.

Self-Incrimination

You should know those corporation companies have no protection against self-incrimination as described in the Fifth Amendment.

 

What do you know about the corporation pros and cons?

 S Corporation

When setting up a corporation, you will find out that we have two different types of corporations. These corporations include the S Corporation and a C Corporation.

What do you know of these two corporations’ setups?  The S Corporation, or S Corp, offers stocks. It has the same corporation pros and cons as others.

The shareholders are the owners of the corporation in this business.  They are protected from liability and cannot be harmed when the company goes under.

The S Corp pushes its credit, deductions, losses, and income to the shareholders. This type of business is like a sole proprietorship.

However, a shareholder is protected from double taxation and has to pay their own tax rates.

The features of S Corporation:

Tax Savings

When it comes to S Corp, Individual shareholders have to report their earnings on their personal income tax return.

However, this corporation is not taxed when it gets to the federal level. That offers them fair tax savings. The shareholders get payments tax-free.

The Benefits of an LLC

For an existing LLC, they can request S Corp status. They can make use of the IRS Form 2553, to be taxed as an S Corp and still function as an LLC.

Separation of Business and Personal Assets

An S Corp does not work as a partnership or sole proprietorship because it can separate its assets

Legal Requirements to Form an S Corp:

This corporation offers a class of stock.

It comes with fewer than 100 shareholders.

The following cannot form an S Corp; insurance companies, financial institutions, and sales corporations.

Incorporate in the United States.

The shareholders can include individuals, trusts, and estates. Also, partnerships, nonresident aliens, and other corporations cannot be S Corp shareholders.

The corporation pros and cons for S Corp

Pros of an S Corp

It offers credibility to employers, investors, clients, and customers.

The business is protected from liability.

It offers pass-through taxation that allows shareholders to stay away from double taxation. During the early stages of a business, it is beneficial.

It is easy to transfer ownership through mergers or sales.

There is flexibility to file as a C Corp in the future.

Cons of an S Corp

When you read through some of the corporation pros and cons, you will understand that this corporation is less flexible when dividing up profit and loss.

It has increased tax obligations. Businesses can lose S Corp status if they file taxes incorrectly.

It comes with a lengthy formation process that involves more legal involvement.

The S Corp has stock restrictions.

The A C Corporation

The A C Corporation, or C Corp,is different from the S Corp. The business is taxed differently from the owners.

The formation of the corporation depends on a state and taxation is similar, The A C Corporation appeals more to startups, business owners, and investors.

The A C Corporation’s features:

Perpetual Existence

This business has an easy method of transfer of ownership.

Limited Liability

The A C Corp is a separate entity from the owners. That saves the owners from personal assets.

Easy to Raise Capital

Most investors like investing in C Corps because of their stock options.

Easy to Find Good Talent

You can get talents because of the stock options.

No Restrictions on Ownership

People of legal age (18) can start a C Corp.

Annual shareholder meetings and note-taking are vital in this corporation.

The Corporation Pros and Cons of C Corp

Pros of a C Corp

The company can sell stock to raise capital.

The business has a well-established structure that comes with defined roles and responsibilities.

It offers staff or employee stock options and stock benefits.

It has the ability to take legal action or sue.

These companies have the right to enter into contracts.

They can create lower tax rates when they split profits and losses between the business and the owners.

They have the opportunity to use a medical reimbursement plan.

Cons of a C Corp

It comes with extensive paperwork

It requires professional, legal or financial help.

The corporation is more time-consuming than other entities.

It has many regulations.

There is a possibility of double taxation.

The business can be subjected to lawsuits

The corporation pros and cons of LLC

Pros of an LLC

It has the flexibility to be taxed as a sole proprietorship, partnership, S Corporation, or C Corporation.

It comes with less paperwork than a corporation.

It has a fewer filing fee than a corporation.

The business can be formed as a single person or with unlimited owners.

It has protection from liability.

The owners can receive profits and write off forfeitures larger than their percentage interest in the LLC.

Cons of an LLC

The business comes with limited flexibility.

It can be challenging to raise financial capital.

It can experience franchise taxes and capital values taxes.

It cannot pay yourself a wage.

It comes with high renewal fees and publication requirements.

 

The corporation pros and cons of sole proprietorship

Pros of a Sole Proprietorship

It has complete control of your day-to-day operations.

It has flexibility.

It does not come with complicated legal agreements found in LLCs or corporations.

It has 100 percent of profits.

The business is easier to form.

It comes with the lowest tax rates.

Cons of a Sole Proprietorship

The business is liable for all business debts.

Banks are less likely to issue loans.

Personal liability

Difficult to raise capital.

If the business owner dies, the business ends.

 

 Partnership

Partnerships are businesses that are not incorporated. The partnership includes the following:

Limited

When it comes to a limited partnership, it means that this type of business has limited partners that report to the main partner.

General Partnership

This type of partnership offers every owner equally responsible for liability, debt, and profits.

Limited Liability

In this partnership, it provides a limited personal liability for all partners.

The corporation pros and cons of limited partnership

Pros of a Limited Partnership

It has no liability.

It has the ability to make a profit.

Its total liability goes to the general partner.

Flow-through income taxation for all partners.

The business is less expensive than incorporating or becoming an LLC.

It attracts more investors.

Cons of a Limited Partnership

This business offers no managerial power.

It requires more paperwork and filings than a general partnership.

Limited partners can lose their limited liability if they take on the roles of managers.

 

Pros of a General Partnership

It comes with no incorporation paperwork with the federal government.

Flow-through income taxation of all partners.

The owner is responsible for debt and loss.

The business is less expensive than incorporating or filing.

Partners can collaborate on resources and share financial obligations.

It comes with no strict corporate structure.

Cons of a General Partnership

This business allows your creditors to use your personal property as debt payment.

The business is liable for debts and actions of a partner.

It comes with a limited capacity to raise money and attract investors.

 

Pros of a Limited Liability Partnership

It offers flow-through income taxation of all partners.

You can select your management structure.

Every partner can assume managerial roles.

The business is less expensive and less paperwork than an LLC filing.

Cons of a Limited Liability Partnership

The business is only available to specific businesses or occupations.

Partners are responsible for negligence, creditors, and proprietors.