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Your Business and the Law

Deciding on the Best Business Entit...

Choosing a legal structure for your business can be a daunting first step in setting up shop. You may be inclined to simply pick an entity type that you're fa.... Read more

Closing a Business the Right Way

Shutting down a business involves more than just closing up shop and selling off inventory. Business owners have a legal responsibility to pay off creditors b.... Read more

Home Brewers and Vintners Beware

Each year, more people take up homebrewing of beer, wine, hard cider and other beverages. Some hobbyists adopt this craft because of the popular “eat and drin.... Read more

Business Disputes

Small Claims Court for Businesses

Small claims court provides a simplified procedure to air your grievances against another party. A regular court case can take months or years to go to trial. Further, the amount of money that you may have to pay a lawyer to represent you during that time period could exceed the amount of damages at issue in the case. Small claims court is a streamlined litigation option for cases invo... Read More

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Forming a Business

Create a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) for Protection

State laws govern formation of a limited liability company (LLC). Differences from state to state relate mostly to filing requirements. If you're thinking about forming an LLC for your new business, the structure and advantages are basically the same across all jurisdictions. An LLC is well-suited to smaller businesses, but you can form one for almost any business endeavor other than b... Read More

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Buying or Selling a Business

Business Basics of Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions, also referred to as M&A, are typically complex transactions. In some cases, the contractual documents can be hundreds of pages long, although your agreement may be shorter if your business is small. Mergers and acquisitions are often effective ways for small businesses to gain entry into new markets because the other company involved may already have acces... Read More

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Financing a Business

Tax and Audit Issues and Your Small Business

One thing you can&'t avoid when operating a business is filing business tax returns and paying income tax on your profits. No matter how meticulous you are with your business taxes, there&'s always a possibility that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and state tax agencies will choose your return for audit. Business Tax Rate Depends on Legal Entity Choosing among a s... Read More

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eCommere Basics

Ensure Your Customers' Private Information Is Secure

Your business must comply with the same privacy and security laws for customers whether it operates in a brick-and-mortar building or online, or both. However, there are some additional requirements for those who conduct business on the Internet. Firewalls Are Not Enough If your business sells its products or services online, customers probably enter their credit or debit car... Read More

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Running a Business

Contractors, Consultants and Freelancers and Your Business

Using subcontractors can get your small business out of a jam when you have more work than you can handle. If you don't want to add additional employees who will linger on your payroll long after the end of a temporary surge, you can assign a portion of your work to another business or to an individual. Subcontracting involves hiring someone else to perform work your business has contr... Read More