Whatever your business or passion may be, an LLC offers certain benefits that a sole-proprietorship cannot. Whether you provide consulting services, tutoring, music lessons, home remodeling, or more, it is common practice for people to operate their business without a business entity structure in place. For little effort and minimal cost, you can enjoy the privacy, asset protection, professionalism, and tax benefits that an LLC offers. These are benefits that a sole-proprietorship simply cannot provide.
Benefits of Forming an LLC
LLCs offer a number of different benefits for individuals and businesses. The following are a few of the main reasons why forming an LLC is a smart choice.
Provides Limited Liability:
Much like the limited liability offered by corporations, LLCs create legal separation between your business and your personal assets. Unlike with a partnership or a sole-proprietorship, any debts incurred with the business do not bleed into personal debts of the owner.
Offers Tax Advantages:
LLCs do not have their own federal tax classification, which results in the default classification of a disregarded entity or partnership (depending on the number of owners in your company). For this reason, LLCs enjoy pass-through taxation (in contrast to the double taxation of corporations). LLCs are not subject to corporate taxes, instead they have the option of reporting income and expenses on the tax returns of its owners. This difference in tax savings alone may be justification enough for forming your limited liability company.
Flexibility and Simplicity:
LLCs are relatively simple and straightforward to form, especially if you enlist the service of an experienced LLC formation service. Additionally, the LLC structure offers flexibility that other entity structures do not. For example, LLCs have no restrictions on ownership the way that corporations do. Similarly, there is no set management structure overseen by a board in the way that corporations operate. LLCs are free to define their own management structure and make changes as they see fit. This includes the way in which profits are distributed. Corporations must distribute according to the shares held by its shareholders, whereas LLCs can define their own distribution guidelines.
Ensures Your Privacy:
When formed correctly, LLCs can provide personal information privacy and other protections for your personal assets. There are a number of ways to achieve anonymity with your LLC. The method best for you will likely depend on the state in which you are forming your LLC. For example, some states do not have any member or manager disclosure requirements, which makes anonymity much easier to achieve. In Florida, however, there are disclosure requirements, so the best available method is what is known as a Double LLC. A Double LLC is achieved by creating an LLC in a state like New Mexico that doesn't not require disclosure, then listing that LLC as the owner of your newly created Florida LLC. By doing this, anyone who searches your Florida company will see the name of your New Mexico LLC, which has been formed anonymously.
How to Form Your Florida LLC
When it comes time to form your Florida LLC, consider using a professional LLC formation service to ensure that every step is completed correctly and that your privacy is upheld. Here are the steps that must be completed for a proper LLC formation:
- Choose your LLC's name. It must be a name that is unique from other companies in Florida and contain an "LLC" indicator.
- File Articles of Organization. This should be done with the Florida Division of Corporations.
- Designate a registered agent. This individual will be responsible for receiving important documents on your company's behalf. It must be a Florida resident who can maintain business hours at a physical Florida address.
- If you have more than one member, your LLC will need an Employer Identification Number from the IRS.
- Also, if you have more than one member, consider drafting an operating agreement, which is smart management practice and a recognized governing document by the state of Florida.
- Open a separate bank account for your LLC.
- File an annual report on time each year to maintain good standing and avoid penalty.
If any of these formation steps seem daunting or you simply don't have the time to complete them on your own, consider utilizing our LLC services. We have years of experience and always offer straightforward pricing. Trust us to complete and submit all of your filings with the Florida Department of Corporations, so that you know for sure your LLC is formed correctly and in good standing with the state. In addition to forming your LLC, feel free to browse our resource articles to learn about our other services and receive additional business insights.