Going full-time as a freelancer
A consultant earning steady 1099 income runs Choosing a Legal Structure and Entity Tax Election Readiness to see whether an LLC taxed as an S-corporation could fit - then brings the questions it raises to a CPA.
For founders, new owners, and anyone starting out
Free Business Formation Self-Checks
Starting or restructuring a business? Work through the big early decisions - legal structure, how you are taxed, which state to form in, licensing, and setup - and leave with a clear checklist and the questions to bring to your attorney and CPA.
How founders use these self-checks
Real examples of the decisions these free tools help you think through before you talk to an attorney or CPA.
Two founders splitting ownership
Co-founders use Founder Equity and Ownership Split with Operating Agreement and Bylaws Readiness to document who owns what, with vesting, before they raise money or hire anyone.
Selling online across state lines
An e-commerce owner works through Which State to Form In, Sales Tax Registration Readiness, and Operating in Other States to map where orders create a registration duty as the business grows.
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Solopreneur formation
Practical first-time decisions for launching, protecting, and operating a one-owner business.
Annual Compliance and Governance Calendar
Clarify annual compliance and governance calendar as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Business Banking and Payment Controls
Clarify business banking and payment controls as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Beneficial Ownership Reporting Screen
Clarify beneficial ownership reporting screen as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Books, Chart of Accounts, and Opening Balances
Clarify books, chart of accounts, and opening balances as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Client Contract and Intellectual-Property Controls
Clarify client contract and intellectual-property controls as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Continuity, Incapacity, and Dissolution Plan
Clarify continuity, incapacity, and dissolution plan as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Contractor and Vendor Onboarding Controls
Clarify contractor and vendor onboarding controls as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Baseline
Clarify data privacy and cybersecurity baseline as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
DBA and Assumed-Name Registration
Clarify dba and assumed-name registration as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
EIN and Responsible-Party Filing
Clarify ein and responsible-party filing as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Home State or Delaware Formation
Clarify home state or delaware formation as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Insurance and Risk-Transfer Program
Clarify insurance and risk-transfer program as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Solopreneur Formation Launch Sequence
Clarify solopreneur formation launch sequence as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Licenses, Zoning, and Home-Based Business
Clarify licenses, zoning, and home-based business as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Multi-State and Remote Operations
Clarify multi-state and remote operations as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Business Name and Trademark Clearance
Clarify business name and trademark clearance as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Single-Member LLC Operating Agreement
Clarify single-member llc operating agreement as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Professional Entity and Ownership Restrictions
Clarify professional entity and ownership restrictions as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Registered Agent, Address, and Privacy
Clarify registered agent, address, and privacy as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Sales-Tax Launch Map
Clarify sales-tax launch map as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
Sole Proprietor or Single-Member LLC
Clarify sole proprietor or single-member llc as a first-time owner: what decision you are making, what must happen now, what can wait, and the next concrete action.
General business formation
Entity, ownership, funding, hiring, and registration tools for broader founder situations.
Bookkeeping and Accounting Setup
Assess whether your new business has a bookkeeping system, chart of accounts, and process to keep clean records from the start.
Business Banking and Financial Setup
Check whether you are ready to separate business finances with the right bank accounts, cards, and controls, and what documents the bank will need.
Business Insurance Needs
Screen the common insurance coverages a new business may need (liability, property, workers compensation, professional), and what to review with a broker.
Business Name and Trademark Check
Check whether your business name is available for entity registration, domain, and trademark, and what to clear before you commit to branding.
Compliance Calendar and Recordkeeping Setup
Assess whether you have a calendar for annual reports, renewals, and tax deadlines, and a system to keep the records a new entity must maintain.
Founding Contracts Readiness
Assess whether the core agreements a new business needs (founders, customers, vendors, IP assignment) are in place, and what to prepare with counsel.
EIN and Federal Registration
Confirm whether you need a federal EIN and other federal registrations, and what information to gather before applying.
Operating in Other States (Foreign Qualification)
Screen whether operating, hiring, or having property in another state means you must register (foreign-qualify) there, and what to confirm.
Founder Equity and Ownership Split
Think through how ownership, vesting, and contributions are split among founders, and what to document before issuing equity.
Startup Funding Readiness
Screen whether your business is ready to seek funding (self, loan, or investor), what documents lenders and investors expect, and what to prepare.
Choosing a Legal Structure
Weigh sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, S-corporation, and C-corporation against your liability, ownership, tax, and funding needs, and what to confirm with an attorney and CPA.
Licenses and Permits Readiness
Screen the federal, state, and local licenses or permits your activity may require, and what to confirm before you open.
Nonprofit Formation Readiness
Screen whether a nonprofit or 501(c)(3) structure fits your mission and what governance and filings you must prepare before applying for exemption.
Operating Agreement and Bylaws Readiness
Assess whether your ownership, management, and decision rules are documented in an operating agreement or bylaws, and what to prepare with counsel.
Payroll and First Hire Setup
Screen what registrations, forms, and systems you need before paying yourself or a first employee, and what to prepare.
Sales Tax Registration Readiness
Screen whether your products, services, and locations create a sales-tax registration duty as you launch, and what to confirm before collecting.
Startup Costs and Capitalization Plan
Estimate startup and organizational costs, how the business will be funded, and what to track for tax and accounting from day one.
Which State to Form In
Compare forming in your home state versus another state such as Delaware, including foreign-qualification and franchise-tax trade-offs, and what to weigh before deciding.
Entity Tax Election Readiness
Screen how your new entity could be taxed (disregarded, partnership, S-corporation, or C-corporation), whether an S-election may fit, and what to prepare before electing.
Worker Classification at Formation
Screen whether the people helping your new business are employees or contractors, and what to confirm before you pay them.
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