Henry Edwards33 said:The founder, who also sits on the administration, is the one ultimately pulling the strings for the business. At the end of the day, a company can function just fine without a formal director or even a single employee on the payroll.
I’m not sure I follow your logic there. Unless there's some specific loophole in the tax code I'm unaware of, I think you might be mistaken.
If there are multiple owners, at least one has to step up as the director or a member of the administration. The only catch is if they're already employed elsewhere; in that case, they wouldn't qualify as an employee of their own firm.
The other partners can simply act as members of the board, which means they don't need to have any employment status at all.
Alex Watson21 said:So, I know an LLC doesn't strictly need a designated director, which got me thinking... is that actually doable if the owner is currently unemployed? Like, if they aren't tied down to some other company or job? In that scenario, if there's no director on record—and if I’m reading this right—there shouldn't be any payroll taxes or social security contributions owed for the owner, since they're just the founder and a member of the administration acting on their own authority, rather than being a formal director... right??
But what else is a managing member who acts independently and individually if not a director?
The only thing you can really do is stay "inactive" for the first few months. For instance, you could register the LLC in February but not officially report the start of business operations until July. You should definitely run this by an accountant. In our case, we stayed inactive for those first six months. To be specific, we issued a handful of invoices—maybe ten, though for pretty significant amounts—and had a few incoming expenses. Our accountant didn't even want to charge us for those initial months.
Jason Jones2 said:I'm a bit older, so I'm looking at this with a different perspective.😁
The only way Dostoevsky has ever been useful to me is as a lullaby at night. Read two lines a day and you can sleep soundly for the rest of your life.😬
Look, I'm not interested in debating the merits or the depth of specific literary works. Tastes are subjective; there's no point arguing about them. I just mentioned Dostoevsky because he was the first name that came to mind—general culture, high school reading lists, that sort of thing. Personally, I love Crime and Punishment, while The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov just didn't do anything for me, but who cares? He was simply the easiest example to grab.
The fact that students don't know who Sarkozy is doesn't surprise me one bit. I’ve never had much interest in politics myself. It would be a far greater tragedy if they didn't know who Edison, Tesla, or Roosevelt were. Forget some politician like Sarkozy.
Here’s the situation: I’m looking at picking up a vehicle for the business in the $30,000 to $40,000 range. It makes sense on paper—it helps with tax deductions, offsets profit, and frankly, we need something more reliable given the nature of our work.
Which route is actually better? Operating lease or capital lease? I know all the textbook definitions because my job involves sending out quotes for cargo ships, but how does this actually play out in practice? Which one truly moves the needle for the bottom line?
What ends up being the smarter move for a US company? What are the real-world pros and cons of an operating lease versus a finance lease?
Jeffrey Johnson2 said:sorry man, but even as a twenty-something I feel personally attacked here—I’ve actually read Dostoevsky and One Hundred Years of Solitude, and honestly? I barely know anyone who *hasn't* read stuff like that.
sorry, but don't generalize based on what those academics did with their so-called "research."
Don't get upset; I misspoke. Of course, I'm not talking about everyone. And naturally, you probably run in circles with people who are well-read or intellectuals—birds of a feather, right? But there are significantly more of them now compared to an older generation (like my mother's) who wouldn't have a clue.
There's a global trend where, thanks to these modern distractions like the internet and whatnot (even I find myself reading far fewer books lately, partly due to work and partly because of the web), people are reading less and less... and their general cultural knowledge is dwindling accordingly.
That kind of trend has been happening in the US for a long time, and it's finally starting to show up here too.
True enough. They just bury people under a mountain of material, when maybe only 20% of it will actually be useful in a real-world setting.
And don't even get me started on the general cultural literacy of the nation. You could talk about it for hours. Ask any twenty-something who was Raskolnikov's "friend" (from Crime and Punishment) or what the deal is with "One Hundred Years of Solitude"... you'll just get a blank stare.
Instead, they seem to know everything there is to know about Simone, Ante Gotovac, and those types of outliers.
Honestly? I think the blame lies more with how kids are raised at home than with any university curriculum or the mindless media cycle.
I had three different paths lined up. I was actually on the verge of pulling the trigger on two of them, but tourism always seemed to pull me back in. Then, just when I was getting serious about the third option, someone completely random comes up and starts talking shop—and suddenly, everything just clicked.
Honestly, I can’t help but wonder how much I would have struggled if I’d actually gone through with those second or third ideas. For the last few years, I’ve been dreaming about this current venture, though I kept telling myself it was an impossible dream—finding a decent commercial space, breaking into the market, all that stuff. Looking back at what my other alternatives were...😲
Maybe they wouldn't have been total financial disasters, but I would have burned out trying to force myself to do something I don't even care about.
It isn't the students who are to blame for this mess. The fault lies with our outdated curricula and those eccentric professors—as someone else already pointed out—who make life miserable. Everyone encounters at least one during their time in school; types who demand you pour endless energy into passing their course, even when the subject matter is clearly secondary or just a vehicle for their own inflated egos. It’s an open secret that graduates here lack practical skills, but at least there used to be a baseline level of theoretical knowledge and general culture. This sudden decline in basic literacy and general awareness is becoming genuinely alarming, as our graduates end up with nothing substantial to offer the workforce. In the past, American Students might have lacked certain practical nuances, but they were at least technically well-equipped. Our graduates used to be cultured individuals who just needed more hands-on experience...
So, what can our people actually offer now?
A few years back, I studied economics with a three-year focus on tourism. The English courses were barely better than fifth-grade level; after finishing high school, my proficiency was honestly a joke. I breezed through Computer Science without ever attending a lecture or even looking at a study guide. As for Economics, it felt like nothing more than a single semester of a social studies elective from high school.
I suspect certain Universities have lowered their standards and are wasting everyone's time with nonsense. This test is just proof of that.
I took a quick look at that link, and honestly, it’s pretty chilling. I’ve dealt with my fair share of idiots myself, but nowadays, I just cut them loose immediately. If they're good? A raise and a promotion. If they're bad? You're fired, period. It is incredibly difficult to find a decent worker these days.
brisktinker15 said:Nothing brightens my morning quite like starting a new fiscal year only to realize my payroll taxes have jumped by more than $33. Honestly, if this money actually went toward something useful, I wouldn't be so bitter, but instead, I’m just subsidizing a massive army of slackers, fake veterans, their entire extended families, people living off disability claims, and basically every social parasite out there. 😠 Then there’s my bank, which loves to nickel-and-dime me about $15 every single month just for the privilege of having an active checking account—even though my "activity" is literally just paying taxes and the occasional invoice, plus the odd ATM run for business expenses. Add in the shady Chamber of Commerce and their totally pointless membership fees... And don't even get me started on the IRS, which somehow manages to flag me for tax debt regarding workers' comp every month, despite the fact that the actual regulations and laws clearly state those payments aren't due until the 15th of the month for the previous quarter. 😵
Yeah, yeah, yeah... I totally lost my train of thought there. I am also just *so* resentful about funding a mountain of lazy people... specifically the exact categories you just listed. That’s why I’ll never bother getting high-limit insurance; it feels like throwing money into a black hole. I’d much rather reinvest in the business, pay for life insurance, lease a luxury car, or who knows what else, rather than insuring for more than $1667 and handing them a fortune. Get lost!
As for employees, job interviews, and the endless parade of idiots who think they deserve $1667 just for showing up, drive away clients with their sheer rudeness when I’m not looking, destroy equipment through pure negligence, or scatter office supplies everywhere... I could easily start an entire thread on that alone.
The bureaucracy involving government agencies drives me just as crazy. Most of what you listed is handled by my accountant anyway. I’ve honestly never had to step foot in an IRS office or deal with Social Security directly... they manage all of that on my behalf.🙂
As for banks? They are absolute scammers. Especially the people over at Bank of America. I remember one time when my company ran out of cash in our domestic account, even though we had plenty sitting in our foreign currency account. It was a Saturday, and I needed to buy some equipment urgently because clients had made a last-minute booking. So, I give the scammers at the bank a call to see if I could just withdraw cash from the foreign account (since the ATM wouldn't let me). My Token was left back at the office 19 miles instead of being with me at home, at the shop where I needed to make the purchase, or at the branch. They told me, "No problem, just come on down." After the teller—who spoke to me like she’d just crawled out of a swamp—fiddled with her computer for half an hour and stared blankly at the screen for another twenty minutes... she finally concluded that she couldn't transfer the funds from the foreign account to the domestic one. She insisted I had to use the Token online to move the money before hitting the ATM.
So, even though the shop stayed open until midnight and it was only 10 AM, I rushed back to the office. I transferred the money, but nothing showed up—turns out there are no currency conversions on Saturdays!!! I called them again, asking if I could just head to a main branch in San Francisco since the system wasn't working, and they gave me the usual runaround: "You can't, it's Saturday, we don't deal with corporate clients on weekends," blah blah blah... then, twenty minutes later, they call back and say, "Actually, just come in."
So we start driving toward San Francisco, but just as we’re about to arrive, they call us five minutes before we reach the city limits to tell us not to bother coming because they CANNOT give us OUR OWN MONEY!!!
I could probably write a whole book about Bank of America and how they treat business owners...🙏
I don’t know, you seem to be mixing up your terms here. A founder doesn't necessarily have to be the CEO. If paying about $0.45 a month in payroll taxes is such a headache, you could just appoint a family member as the director. The founder's role is secondary. Though, honestly, I’m not sure if that ends up being worth the hassle in the long run. In my view, the sweet spot is taking two or three months off to just coast—you can send out some quotes here and there, and the occasional payment might hit your account. Once you're ready to actually get down to business, you register with the Democratic Party or whatever agency handles your filings. For instance, at the start, I was officially listed as a branch manager, even though I was effectively running the whole show as the director.
Ultimately, you'll get the best guidance from an accountant. They’ll look at your industry, your turnover, and what you actually want to achieve to find a setup that works for you. Everything you're hearing on this forum is just guesswork because nobody actually knows what kind of business you intend to run. If you provided a few more details, maybe someone could offer a more substantive piece of advice. Your best bet is to find someone who already has an accountant and send them a private message...
To build on that, Charles Ramos7 makes a valid point. A director has to actually be an employee. A company can only operate without staff if the director is simultaneously working for another firm while holding that leadership role there too. They can't just be unemployed. The only exception might be those first few months when a company is essentially just sitting idle.
Thanks, this site is actually fantastic. My only gripe is that I couldn't find any info on whether it’s smarter to front the cash for office supplies and furniture before officially launching the LLC, or if it's better to wait until after the doors are open to maximize those tax write-offs. If anyone has some actual boots-on-the-ground advice regarding the nuts and bolts of running a business... it would certainly be appreciated.
Hey everyone, I’ve finally checked off all the boxes needed to launch my new business. Income is pretty much a sure thing since I’m leaning on years of experience from both my partners and myself—honestly, none of the firms we've worked with in this sector have ever gone under. That said, you definitely need enough liquid capital upfront, which is exactly why we decided to pool our resources. To cut to the chase: what are the payroll tax implications for a $5,000 salary versus a $6,000 salary? Also, what does a monthly bookkeeping fee look like if I start with one employee for the first three months and then scale up to three?
Is it actually possible to register the LLC but just let it sit idle for a month or two before officially starting operations? And beyond the usual utility bills and sales tax, what other miscellaneous fees should I be budgeting for?
Regarding startup costs: would it be smarter to use part of our initial capital (around $100,000) to kit out the office after the company is officially formed or should I pull the trigger on the equipment before we formally incorporate (mainly to optimize the tax write-offs and VAT deductions)?
Lastly, how does the tax credit process work? Does the IRS let you claim those offsets immediately, or do you have to wait until the annual filing?
thanks for all the feedback. I tracked down Dr. Kincl online and I think I’m going to book an appointment with him... honestly, it feels like the best move. And regarding the breastfeeding thing... just imagine, I already have one child. My breasts went from a C cup while nursing back down to an A. To everyone attacking me here... so what if I have an insecurity? 😂Once the surgery is done, I won't have to deal with it anymore. Besides, plastic surgery has become incredibly common here in the States... so clearly, I'm not the only one dealing with body image issues.
It's true—what you said about breastfeeding and breast size. During my first pregnancy, mine jumped from a C to an E, and I could barely find any bras that fit; they felt like two heavy bowling balls. After a few months, they settled back to a C, but during my second pregnancy, the size stayed the same—they just lost all their firmness. It was a disaster.
So, if you have the courage, why not? People do all sorts of things just to feel better about how they look. I’d love to have them larger and firmer myself, but if someone could just wave a magic wand... I've already survived two major surgeries following car accidents, so I told myself "never again."
Let us know how you feel about the results if you decide to go through with it.
So, I figured I’d chime in here too. I spent a good chunk of time digging through various sites a few months back, and I kept running into claims that this specific vaccine is dangerous—some places even suggest it was pulled from the market because it just wasn't sufficiently tested. No one is out there claiming the HPV virus doesn't exist or isn't linked to cervical cancer; the point being made is simply that the vaccine itself lacks reliability. It feels like it's being pushed way too hard as some kind of miracle cure, likely because they just need more test subjects. My advice to any young women who aren't in committed relationships? Just wait until this is actually verified. In the meantime, stick to condoms.
What if you just decided to let all of this go? If you’ve already spent hours running empty searches online, you’ve probably seen enough to know things are likely fine. I deal with panic disorder myself, and for me, it all kicked off when I spent a month dealing with a fever of 99 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and this dizzy sensation every time I tried to get out of bed. Throw in some chest pains and other various symptoms... At the ER, they just brushed it off as a stomach virus. It actually took my primary care physician nearly two months to realize what was really going on. Once I managed to settle down and stopped obsessing over whether I had some undiagnosed illness or if it would all come crashing back, the fever just vanished on its own. When they finally suggested it was stress—well, I remember asking them, "Stress? What are you talking about? I'm not stressed at all" (even though, realistically, I had a three-month-old baby who wouldn't sleep more than five minutes at a time and total uncertainty regarding my job situation...).
I'm not saying you aren't feeling something real—I know you are—but if your lab results are coming back clean, try not to let the anxiety take over.
Edward Morris9 said:I don't think this topic is trivial at all🤷 though I am just curious about one thing!
This is basically what my pediatrician tells me whenever the kids come down with something—that the color of the mucus is the giveaway for a bacterial infection. If it’s clear or maybe a bit yellowish, she says it’s just a common cold or perhaps allergies. But if it turns green? That’s when we start looking at bacteria. Of course, that underlying infection doesn't always lead to something more serious like strep throat, bronchitis, or a sinus infection, but it's the rule of thumb she uses.