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How Business Entity Selection Affects Small Business Taxation

Business Structure

One of the most important things you can do is be aware of the different types of legal structures that exist and how that affects your overall tax and liability burden. You should be fully aware of the different types of business entities and what that means for your business.

What is a business entity?

One or more natural persons create a business entity to carry on a trade or business. Business owners often favor corporations and LLCs because they offer several layers of protection for their owners.

The following are types of business entities:

  • Limited liability company: A registered business with limited liability for all members
  • Professional limited liability company: An LLC structure for professionals, such as doctors and accountants
  • C-corporation: An incorporated business composed of shareholders, directors, and officers
  • S-corporation: An incorporated business that is taxed as a pass-through entity
  • Professional corporation: A corporate structure for professionals, such as doctors and accountants
  • B-corporation: A for-profit corporation that is certified for meeting social and environmental standards
  • Nonprofit: Corporations: A formed primarily to benefit the public interest rather than earn a profit.

Small Business Should Never Underestimate Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service has been more active in targeting small businesses for tax audits in the last several years. New businesses have spent 2.5 billion each year preparing taxes and answering questions from the IRS about tax return inquiries.

However, there are things that any new business can do to lessen its tax burden. We will discuss how choosing the right business entity can make your life as a new entrepreneur much easier in the coming future.

Healthcare Savings

Medical costs are rising and can be quite expensive. It is smart to save money for unexpected health care expenses even if you are healthy now. This can be accomplished through a Health Savings Plan or HSA.

An HSA is a type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your overall health care costs. HSA funds generally may not be used to pay premiums. This will help greatly in lowering taxes associated with medical costs.

HSA helps you save in taxes by letting your contributions be pretax, letting them grow tax-free, and allowing any withdrawals to also be tax-free. They are an invaluable source of savings and peace of mind. 

Business Structure

One of the most important things you can do is be aware of the different types of legal structures that exist and how that affects your overall tax and liability burden. You should be fully aware of the different types of business entities and what that means for your business.

What is a business entity?

One or more natural persons create a business entity to carry on a trade or business. Business owners often favor corporations and LLCs because they offer several layers of protection for their owners.

The following are types of business entities:

  • Limited liability company: A registered business with limited liability for all members
  • Professional limited liability company: An LLC structure for professionals, such as doctors and accountants
  • C-corporation: An incorporated business composed of shareholders, directors, and officers
  • S-corporation: An incorporated business that is taxed as a pass-through entity
  • Professional corporation: A corporate structure for professionals, such as doctors and accountants
  • B-corporation: A for-profit corporation that is certified for meeting social and environmental standards
  • Nonprofit: Corporations: A formed primarily to benefit the public interest rather than earn a profit.

Small Business Should Never Underestimate Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service has been more active in targeting small businesses for tax audits in the last several years. New businesses have spent 2.5 billion each year preparing taxes and answering questions from the IRS about tax return inquiries.

However, there are things that any new business can do to lessen its tax burden. We will discuss how choosing the right business entity can make your life as a new entrepreneur much easier in the future.

Healthcare Savings

Medical costs are rising and can be quite expensive. It is smart to save money for unexpected healthcare expenses even if you are healthy now. This can be accomplished through a Health Savings Plan or HSA.

An HSA is a type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. By using untaxed dollars in a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, and some other expenses, you may be able to lower your overall healthcare costs. HSA funds generally may not be used to pay premiums. This will help greatly in lowering taxes associated with medical costs.

Get A Tax Resale Certificate

As a savvy small business retailer, you must be aware of how to utilize tax resale certificates to your best advantage. In short, a tax retail certificate allows you not to pay sales tax on items that you plan to resell. This can also apply to supplies that are going to be used in products that you will resell, such as wood for a cabinet.

You must understand that tax resale certificates can also be used on items that will be resold. Office supplies, such as new computers for your employees, would not fall under the category of retail.  It would be considered fraud not to pay sales tax on these items.

If this is confusing for you, just think of tax resale certificates as state tax exemption certificates.  Some states call them exemption certificates or reseller’s permits.

That Is Why We Are Here To Help

Understandably, all this information can be very daunting. Not correctly understanding sales tax and the benefits of a tax resale certificate can lead to a great deal of trouble. A retailer could lose out on extremely beneficial sales tax exemption status. A savvy business owner will understand that having a tax resale certificate will save them a good deal of money but leave the actual headache of registration to someone else.

On the other hand, misunderstanding and not paying the correct sales tax to a state government could very much hurt a business’s standing and reputation. At Tax Resale Certificate,  we make the process as easy as possible. Just take advantage of our user-friendly interface to help take the headache of applying for a tax resale certificate off your plate.