Fall is here. Leaves are falling. Pumpkins are out. Halloween Costumes are on sale. Bags of candy are available. Coffee shops are offering pumpkin spice latte’.  

What a great time to get an LLC for your business!

Okay, maybe there is no correlation with fall. But, it’s still a great time of year to set up and LLC. Let me explain: Tax Year 2018 ends December 31, so there is still time to get it done and affect your tax returns for good, perhaps.  

First, let’s explain what an “LLC” is: An LLC (Limited Liability Corporation), according to www.Chron.com, is “owner’s liability protection against company actions and debt similar to a corporation. However, a LLC’s management can be set up as a corporation or partnership for management flexibility and taxation purposes.”

Second, the benefits of having your small business LLC designation are quite attractive:

1. Have your taxes withheld throughout the year: Instead of having to pay a lump sum at tax time or installments throughout the year, you can have your taxes withheld throughout the year. An LLC gives you the option to have a “Flow-through Entity” meaning you become an employee of your company and pay taxes from each paycheck.     
2. A “One-person LLC Form”: Your business is taxed as a sole proprietorship. This adds limited personal liability exposure but keeps crucial tax benefits such as the owner compensation with “distributions of profit” taxed at the individual owner’s lower marginal tax bracket (tax rate applicable to the next dollar of taxable income earned); and pass-through of business losses to the owner.
3. Estate Planning: An LLC can also be placed in a Living Trust. This can be complex so consult with your tax attorney.
4. Less paperwork: An LLC is less time-consuming once you have completed the forms and filed them. The money will be taken out of payroll. Fewer headaches and less paperwork means you can tend to your business.

If you decide that an LLC is the best move for your small business, you can file the forms, called “Articles of Organization”, in your state. Filing fees range from $100-$500.

Before any major financial or business decision like filing Articles of Organization to set up your LLC, give us a call. We will consider your unique needs and discuss if an LLC suits you. A.K. Burton, PC specializes in helping our small business clients structure their business to maximize benefits to the parties involved. Having an attorney/CPA on staff allows us to give our clients the most value for their money spent. Even after we have set up your business, we are always serving your business needs.

From filing the paperwork to form your business, filing taxes, business advice, and closing your business; we are a one stop shop. We serve the Bethesda, MD and Washington, D.C area. Contact us at (301) 365-1974 for more information or email us at info@cpa-maryland.com.