Articles Tagged with forming an llc

|

Of the many challenges faced when starting a business, creation of a company’s bylaws can be one of the more complex, technical, and overwhelming challenges of them all. While daunting, such agreements can protect startup companies from liability in business transactions. A Silicon Valley corporate lawyer can help your business create the bylaws which will best meet your legal needs.

  • Identify the needs of your businessFotolia_104278045_Subscription_Monthly_M-300x169

Before crafting any corporate policy, it is important to determine your goals. Does the policy need to protect the company from legal liability? Reduce operating expenses? Provide clarity for executing important business discussions? Identifying clear goals will allow for bylaws to effectively address such needs. Owners should also be sure to consider both the short and long-term needs of the business. Business, financial, and legal concerns can change over time. Effective bylaws will allow the business to adapt to the dynamic reality of the marketplace.

Continue reading ›

|

Limited liability companies, or LLCs, are one of the various types of business entities from which you can choose when forming a company.  Generally speaking, limited liability companies combine the tax advantages and flexibility of a partnership with the liability protections of a corporation, without subjecting small business owners to the onerous reporting requirements and governance rules associated with corporations.  When forming a limited liability company there are many factors to consider and questions to ask.  The Silicon Valley business attorneys at Structure Law Group, LLP have the knowledge and experience to advise entrepreneurs to weigh all options and make the best decisions for the limited liability company now and in the future.

LLC-Purchaseing-REal-Estate-300x169
How Does an LLC Limit Liability?

Like a corporation, a limited liability company is a separate legal and tax entity, meaning that the LLC is separate from the members who manage and operate the business.  And also like a corporation, the LLC, and not the LLC’s owners, will be liable for the LLC’s debts.  For example, if one sues the LLC to recover on an outstanding debt, only the LLC’s assets can be reached.  In other words, an LLC’s members are not personally liable for the LLC’s debts (just like how a corporation’s shareholders are not personally liable for the corporation’s debts).  This is significantly different than a general partnership or sole proprietorship, where the partners or the individual owner, respectively, are personally liable for the debts and obligations of the business.

Continue reading ›

|

Many startups in the tech sector are idea-rich and cash-poor, meaning that their most valuable (and often only) asset is their intellectual property that may have the potential to be worth a substantial amount of money. While some startups are able to move their ideas from concept to deployment with relatively little labor involved, many of these ideas require the assistance of developers, programmers, engineers, and marketers, all of whom are skilled professionals who can easily command salaries well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Fotolia_71990168_Subscription_Yearly_M-300x260
For this reason, many startups are faced with the issue of how to pay their employees during the development and launch phase, before they are generating any revenue. Of course, one option is to borrow the money or to seek investors – a solution that has significant pros and cons which should be considered. Another very popular option is to offer employees equity shares in a company in lieu of cash compensation. In some cases, this may take the form of equity for a lower salary than they would normally expect, while in others an equity share may be the only compensation they receive.

There are many issues that tech entrepreneurs and founders should consider when offering equity as compensation. These include the following:

Continue reading ›

|

According to an article published by Forbes in late 2014, 42 technology startups potentially looking at a 2015 IPO had raised venture financing of at least $1 billion. With the potential for the creation of significant wealth in a relatively short period of time, it is no wonder that many people are seeking to enter the tech marketplace with new ideas that have the potential to impact the way that millions of people conduct their daily lives.

Incorporation is one of the major steps involved in the growth of a tech startup and involves creating a distinct business entity that can own intellectual property, issue stock, raise capital, and is subject to rules of corporate governance. Incorporation can be a complicated process and involves filing paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office in the jurisdiction in which you wish to incorporate.Business-ball-300x245

What are Bylaws?

Continue reading ›

|

Starting a business entity is a complicated issue that can be compounded by things such as founder’s stock and each founder’s respective contribution. Equity considerations can be extremely important in starting a business, especially when one founder contributes intellectual property (IP) rather than cash or labor.

bigstock-Lightbulb-Ideas-And-Money-Bala-79173556-300x212
What is Founder’s Stock?

Awarding a company founder stock is a relatively common practice in business formation, particularly in situations in which a startup is new and not yet generating income.  Doing so gives the contributing founder a measurable property interest in the newly formed entity. Typically, these stocks have a very low face value so that the founder receives a large amount of stock respective to his or her contribution.

Continue reading ›

|

Many individuals who are citizens of foreign countries want to take advantage of the economic market in the United States. More specifically, California is a particularly popular state in which to start a business as a foreign national due to the close connections with the tech industry and the large and diverse population, among other reasons. If you are a foreigner considering conducting business in California, there is good news for you—neither residency nor citizenship is required to do so. Instead, you need only go through very similar steps as a U.S. citizen starting their own business with the state.

hand opens empty room door
The following are some important steps that you must take to start your California business:

  • Choose your business entity – This is an important decision with many implications and your options, including corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or limited partnership, should be carefully weighed. An experienced business attorney can assist you in choosing the correct entity for your type of business and your goals.
Continue reading ›

|

With the United States having an extraordinarily robust economy and the highest level of consumer spending in the world, many non-U.S. resident foreign nationals are justifiably interested in starting a business in the United States, but are not sure whether it is possible or where to begin. Fortunately, it certainly is possible, and in some cases, may even be accomplished without setting foot within the U.S. Below are some of the steps required for a foreign national who is not a U.S. resident to start a business.

Fotolia_73623982_Subscription_Yearly_M-300x200
Choose the state in which you wish to start your business

One of the first things that non-U.S. residents should understand about starting a business in the U.S. is that each state has its own laws regulating the way businesses are formed, the way they operate, and their tax treatment. While these laws tend to be very similar, there are often significant and nuanced differences that may have a significant impact on your ability to conduct business from overseas as well as your ability to minimize your tax liability.

Continue reading ›

|

When starting a new business, one of the most important decisions that entrepreneurs must make is choosing the type of business entity under which they will operate. Many new businesses form as limited liability companies, or LLCs, as they combine the limited liability offered by corporations with the flexibility and favorable tax treatment of partnerships. The document that governs how an LLC operates is known as its “operating agreement.” While an LLC’s operating agreement does not need to be filed with the Secretary of State, it is still required that every LLC have one and that the document clearly lays out the rights and responsibilities of the company’s members.

Fotolia_65413323_Subscription_Yearly_M-300x197
It is highly advisable for anyone in the process of forming an LLC to consult with an attorney to ensure their operating agreement accurately represents the intent of the parties it affects and it contains the necessary provisions. Below is some information about a few of the basic issues any LLC’s operating agreement should address.

The LLC’s Ownership Structure – One of the most important issues that should be addressed in an operating agreement is the ownership of the company. Ownership can be determined either by allocating percentages or by issuing “units,” which are similar to stocks issued by a corporation. In the absence of provisions to the contrary, California’s default LLC rules will apply, which may or may not reflect the intent of the people forming the LLC.

Continue reading ›

|

Historically, only general or limited partnerships were used for investing in real estate, but over the past decade, forming a Limited Liability Company (an “LLC”) has become a more popular choice for real estate investors. An LLC formed for real estate investment purposes is not very different from a regular limited liability company, and the steps for formation are very similar. Here are 4 benefits of using an LLC instead of a partnership or a corporation for real estate.

LLC - Purchaseing REal Estate

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading ›

|

Purchasing real estate for investment purposes can be an excellent decision for individuals and businesses alike. Real estate tends to appreciate over the long-term, and both residential and commercial investment properties can generate significant rental income while building equity. Unfortunately in spite of the benefits, investment properties can also expose investors to significant legal liability as well.

Whether your property is an apartment building or a retail lot, issues that commonly arise within a building all have the potential to cause serious injury or financial loss. Fortunately, forming an LLC can help limit real estate investors’ personal liability and protect them from potential financial disaster.

 llc

LLCs Protect Investors from Personal Liability

An LLC, or limited liability company, is a type of business formation that combines the liability protections of a corporation with the flexibility afforded by a partnership. They are particularly attractive to smaller companies and individual investors. LLCs can be owned by individuals or other businesses. Continue reading ›