Ongoing Management and Protection

CorpNet’s blog posts offer a wealth of information for navigating through the ongoing management and protection of startup and business operations. Our articles are written by industry experts who have the experience to help you avoid common and unnecessary mistakes.

What Is a Trademark?

Now that you’ve started your business, it’s time to protect its name. After all, your business name is — and will continue to be — one of the most crucial branding assets you possess. So, how do entrepreneurs protect that critical element from being infringed upon...

Trademark written in wooden cubes

A State-by-State Guide to Economic Nexus

Economic Nexus The Supreme Court ruling on the South Dakota v. Wayfair case in 2018 changed how out-of-state retailers collect and remit sales taxes in each state. At a minimum, states can mandate that businesses without a physical presence in a state and with more...

Nexus Guide With Legal Statue

How Do You Pay Yourself as a Sole Proprietor?

Many small business owners start their companies as Sole Proprietorships. The business structure offers setup simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and minimal business compliance requirements. To determine if a Sole Proprietorship is right for them, entrepreneurs should...

Man Holding a Paycheck

What Is a Reseller License?

If you’re starting a retail business (whether online or at a brick and mortar location), you’ll want to apply for a reseller license. A reseller license certifies you don’t have to pay sales tax when buying products on a wholesale basis for the purpose of reselling...

Cartoon Street of Businesses

How to Move A Business To Another State

When you move from one house to another, you likely have a checklist of things you need to take care of in the process from changing your mailing address and calling your cable TV provider and your internet company. But when moving your business to another state,...

Business woman moving packing boxes

How to Prepare Your Small Business for a Recession

Is a recession on the way? While some economic experts believe a recession is on the way, others, such as the National Retail Federation (NRF), think that although the economy is slowing, consumers are financially healthy and a recession is unlikely in 2022. And...

Crumbled Dollar Bill

How Do LLC Owners Get Paid?

As a small business owner, how you pay yourself depends on your business’s legal structure and how you elect to pay taxes. The Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a popular legal entity offering liability protection to its owners (called members), simple compliance...

Happy Woman Throwing Money Above Laptop

Do You Need an LLC for Rental Property in Another State?

No matter where you’re buying a rental property, protecting that investment is important. Many real estate investors who own rentals choose to set up each of their properties as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). Doing so helps protect their personal assets from...

For Rent Sign in Front of House

10 Ways to Take Care of Your Kids and Your Business This Summer

School’s out! Chances are your kids are celebrating right now because weeks of summer vacation beckon. But, if you’re starting a business or running a business, and you have school-aged children, you’re likely feeling a little conflicted. Entrepreneurs like me, and...

Kids Swimming in Pool

Virtual Companies and Nexus: What Small Businesses Need to Know

Over the last two years, many businesses have chosen to go virtual, either temporarily or on a permanent basis. But that decision can impact the business’s nexus status. Companies with remote employees in other states may also need to register for foreign...

Virtual Employee on Conference Call

Does Being an LLC or Corporation Help Build Business Credit?

Establishing healthy business credit is essential to ensure a company can thrive and grow. If an entrepreneur doesn’t take measures to establish credit in their business name, they may miss out on opportunities and even pay more than they have to for goods and...

Credit Report on Desk

Michigan Annual Report Filing for LLCs and Corporations

The state of Michigan requires all business owners of limited liability companies (LLC) and corporations to file an annual report. An annual report is a filing that helps ensure the state's records about a business entity are accurate. Michigan has specific due...

Michigan State Flag

Trademarks vs. Copyrights vs. Patents

From your company logo to your trade secrets, your business’s intellectual property has value. That’s why it’s important to take measures to protect it. What are the various types of intellectual property and how can business owners’ safeguard them?  Here’s a...

Trademark and Copyright Icons in Vending Machine

How to Protect Your Brand with Trademarks

If you’ve incorporated your business or formed a limited liability company, you’ve taken critical first steps toward building a successful business. When registering your business, you’ve protected your company name from being used by competitors in the state the...

Registered Trademark Stamp

What Business Owners Need to Know About Filing Taxes in 2022

Tax season is right around the corner. A lot has changed, tax-wise, in the past year due to new legislation. Here’s a quick look at what business owners need to know about filing their taxes in 2022. Sole Proprietorship Sole proprietors are unincorporated...

Stack of US Tax Forms

Do I Need a New EIN?

If you already have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your business but have recently made some changes, you may be wondering if you need a new EIN. Because EINs are used for reporting certain taxes (such as payroll and excise taxes), it’s essential to...

Employer Identification Number (EIN) written on legal document

Registered Business Name vs. Trademark

One of the first decisions new entrepreneurs make is “What should I name my business?” A lot of brand equity gets built around a business name, so it’s essential to protect that valuable marketing asset. During a presentation to accounting professionals, I...

Woman With Two Thought Bubbles, One With Business Name and One With Trademark

10 Legal Documents You Must Have to Start a Small Business

If starting a new business is on your 2022 New Year’s resolution list, we’re here to help you begin on the right (and legal) path. Here are 10 must-have legal documents you need to start a new business. 1. Business Plan Technically, a business plan is not a “legal”...

Legal Document

How to Draft Meeting Minutes in the New Year

Along with other annual business compliance responsibilities, corporations (and sometimes LLCs) must hold various meetings and record minutes from those meetings. With the new year ahead, new entrepreneurs and existing business owners need to make sure they...

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors

How Often Does an LLC Pay Taxes?

If you’re considering starting a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or restructuring your business as an LLC, it’s important to know what taxes you’re responsible for, when your taxes are due, and how to file taxes for your business entity. Keep in mind that an LLC’s...

Cartoon of Financial Reports and Calculator on Desk

How to File Taxes as a Limited Liability Partnership

As a startup with more than one business owner, you have your choice on how you want to legally structure your company. The decision isn’t to be taken lightly since a business’s structure affects how you organize your company, registration requirements, compliance...

Bullhorn with Tax Tips

What You Need to Know About the Qualified Business Income Deduction

Tax considerations are a significant factor in how entrepreneurs structure their businesses. The qualified business income deduction (or QBI tax deduction) is an important tax deduction that allows eligible businesses to deduct up to 20% of their qualified business...

Man Cutting Tax With Scissors

What You Need to Know About Work From Home Tax Deductions

According to Global Workplace Analytics, 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021. Already a trend before the pandemic, remote working became the “new normal” for businesses of all sizes struggling to stay afloat...

Tax Form iPad Calculator

Filing Annual Meeting Minutes Before Year End

Depending on a business’s entity type and the state it’s registered in, its owners may be required to hold annual meetings and record minutes from those meetings. But how do you know if that requirement applies to your company? In this article, I'm going to explain...

Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors

Hiring Family Members in a Small Business

I'm often asked if it is advantageous for a small business to hire family members. Some entrepreneurs have asked if hiring relatives presents legal issues, while others have asked if it is ethical. Whether you believe this practice is good business or nepotism,...

Father and Daughter Working in Bakery

How to Reinstate a Revoked 501(c)(3) Status

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, an organization does not have to pay federal income tax on its profits related to its business purpose. That’s an important advantage as it allows organizations to keep more of their profits and use them to further their causes. However,...

Rejected Paperwork With Large Red X

What Is an Annual Franchise Tax Report?

Not all, but some states require business entities to file an annual report and pay a franchise tax each year. While the name suggests that a franchise tax report might only apply to businesses that are franchises, that’s not the case! A franchise tax is a fee that...

Money Bag and Calendar

Filing an Intent to Use Trademark Application

Choosing the perfect business or brand name is only half the battle when starting a new venture. You need to protect that name from getting stolen or misused. But what if you haven’t started using the brand name yet? The good news is even if your website is still...

Trademark Application Process on Laptop

How to Revoke an S Corp Election

Many limited liability companies (LLCs) and C Corporations choose to be taxed as S Corporations to lower their tax burden. It’s relatively easy to do as long as the business entity meets IRS requirements and files Form 2553. But what happens if a business owner...

Ripped Document

Why You Should Keep Business and Personal Finances Separate

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about keeping business and personal finances separate. Truthfully, most entrepreneurs tap into their personal savings to start their businesses, so opening separate bank accounts isn’t their top priority when there are so...

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