S-Corporations have many benefits, the greatest of which involves tax liability, but they also have some drawbacks and strict legal requirements. That’s why it’s important to discuss your business plans with an S-Corporation Formation Lawyer to learn what’s right for your company.
We specialize in the intricate legal requirements and the variety of documents surrounding forming an S-Corporation business entity.
An S-Corporation is actually a tax designation that allows for these business entities to be taxed under IRS code Subchapter “S”. So what does that mean? Essentially, an S-Corp is considered a pass-through tax entity, whereby the corporation itself pays no federal corporate income taxes. Instead, those taxes are passed onto the shareholders to be paid on their individual tax returns at their typical marginal income rate (anywhere from 10-37% based on their income bracket).
S-Corporations still have the liability protections of a corporation, but with these additional tax advantages. That means if something were to happen to your business legally, you would not be responsible for it personally in the same way you could be as a sole proprietor or partnership. An S-Corporation Formation Lawyer San Diego can help you figure out if the benefits of an S-Corp will be worth it for your business model.
So it seems like S-Corporations are great, right? You don’t get double taxed and you still have liability protection, plus you can even pay yourself a salary and dividends while only having to pay self-employment tax on the salary portion. Why doesn’t everyone just form an S-Corp?
Well, S-Corps have very strict legal rules to follow in regards to tax laws, shareholders, ownership, and procedural/operational requirements. We can can walk you through the pros and cons of how an S-Corp would function for your business, but here are some basic drawbacks:
Forming an S-Corporation requires a variety of documents and a good understanding of the legal requirements surrounding that business entity. If you haven’t gone to law school yourself, getting the expertise of an S-Corporation Formation Lawyer San Diego will be extremely helpful as you navigate the process.