Why choose a sole proprietorship?
Often accidental entrepreneurs and new business
owners begin a business without really intending to start a company. As soon as
your enterprise has revenue, it’s a business. With a sole proprietorship, there
is no state filing to begin the business. On the flip side, there is no
separation between the assets of the business and those of the owner. Therefore
the owner’s personal assets can be used to satisfy business debts and
liabilities.
Advantages of a sole proprietorship
Typical
advantages of a sole proprietorship include:
- Ease of creation. Owners can
establish a sole proprietorship instantly, easily and inexpensively.
- No state
paperwork. There is no state filing required to create a sole proprietorship.
- No separate tax
filing. There is no separate business income tax filing. Business income or
loss is reported on the owner’s personal tax return, and any tax is paid at the
individual level.
- Few ongoing formalities. Sole proprietorships face few, if any, ongoing
requirements or formalities, such as state annual report or ownership meeting
requirements as with C corporations, S corporations and LLCs.
Key Benefits
Sole proprietorships do not face the same ongoing formalities and requirements that corporations or LLCs face. There are no annual reports to file with and fees to pay to the state, no required annual meetings, etc. Many sole proprietors still will need business licenses and permits, however.
Understanding Business Licenses
Keep in Mind
As a sole proprietor, unless you file a DBA (doing business as) your company name will be your personal name. In order to open a bank account, most banks require sole proprietors to have a DBA name. You may also find that potential customers and vendors feel your business is more legitimate with a DBA name.
DBA Filing Service