Choose between sole proprietor, LLC, and S-corp

A recommendation for your situation and your state — and a clear line on where you need an accountant instead.

What to ask

Walk me through choosing my business structure. Explain sole proprietor versus LLC versus S-corp for a business like mine in my state — liability, taxes, cost to maintain — and recommend one for my situation. Be clear about where I should get an accountant's opinion rather than yours. Once I've decided, record the structure and the reasoning in my Organization & Management plan section.

Related

• Pick a business name and check nobody's already using itA shortlist run against real registrations, and a straight answer on what's clear.
• File my business registration with the stateEvery answer prepared with you, the fee named, and the filing walked step by step.
• Get my EIN from the IRSWhat to have in front of you, which answers apply to your structure, and where people get stuck.
• Find out which licenses, permits and insurance I needTwo lists — city, county, state and industry permits, plus the insurance standard for your trade — turned into tasks.