Starting an LLC: Where to begin?

restlessgull82 said:Hey everyone;
I have a quick question for the group. I’m in the process of launching a new business that will focus on professional services—think everything from psychological counseling and adult education to language courses and tourism. Since I’ll be working a full-time job myself, my plan is to bring on some specialists to handle the core work through independent contractor agreements. First off, is it legally feasible to hire a foreign national as an independent contractor—for instance, a psychologist? And more importantly, can I operate a business providing these types of intellectual services under a general corporate umbrella, or am I required to establish a specific medical clinic or private practice to offer psychological services? It feels a bit like trying to decide if you can run a boutique consulting firm out of a home office or if you need a dedicated storefront first—there are just so many layers to peel back here!
Thanks much

🙄But why wouldn't you be able to provide those services??
You can do whatever you want with your business
That’s not really the point though... With an LLC, the only thing that truly matters is whether you turn a profit😂
Good luck!🙂

rapidpuma43 said:🙄But why wouldn't you be able to provide those services??
You can do whatever you want with your business
That’s not really the point though... With an LLC, the only thing that truly matters is whether you turn a profit😂
Good luck!🙂

Oh, Emily Morris, you really have no idea what you're talking about... trying to lecture everyone on the economy while handing out wrong answers that aren't even remotely funny.

Annika, look, if you don't get a straight or helpful answer in this thread, just head over to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce website and look for the section on business formation. It’s all laid out there—which specific industries require permits from federal agencies or other institutions, usually based on meeting certain requirements (sometimes it's even about having specific staff on hand), so you'll likely find the answer to your question right there.

When I'm picking out a name for an LLC, is it actually allowed to be just one letter off from an existing company? For instance, if I want to go with PAS, but there’s already a business registered in another state called PASS.

Raymond Peterson81 said:When I'm picking out a name for an LLC, is it actually allowed to be just one letter off from an existing company? For instance, if I want to go with PAS, but there’s already a business registered in another state called PASS.

Look, if they fall under a completely different federal court jurisdiction, it shouldn't really matter. I think you can get away with identical names in those cases.

The real headache starts if there’s a similar name within the same district where your specific court operates. From what I gather about the law, you usually need at least a three-letter distinction, but honestly, a lot of that falls under judicial discretion... and let me tell you, not every judge follows the same playbook. It's a total toss-up.

And another thing—you can't always find every single registered entity online. There are gaps.

My best advice? Dig into the UCC filings and relevant commercial codes, specifically sections 14 through 22, and just be prepared for the fact that different judges will see things differently.

I actually went through this myself once. One judge rejected my proposed name outright, then another one approved a totally different version for me! When I was dealing with the filing services, they told me they'd basically reroute my application to a different clerk if the assigned judge decided to play hardball after someone else had already given the green light... it's such a mess.

Can someone without a high school diploma start their own small business or set up an LLC?

Emily Morris said:Can someone without a high school diploma start their own small business or set up an LLC?

Well, you can certainly set up an LLC since you’re essentially just the owner... though I suppose things might get a bit more complicated if you're looking at a sole proprietorship, mainly because you generally need to be properly qualified for the specific work you're doing, given that you're operating as an individual here...

My apologies, but I haven't been able to track down a specific guide on how to wind down a business anywhere on this forum, and I really need some direction...
The company failed to secure the necessary business visa, so the owner has decided it’s time to pull the plug and close things down.
Any help would be much appreciated!

::andariel:: said:

1. How can I get a loan to start an LLC?
2. Which bank offers the best rates—you know, regarding lending terms and everything else?
3. Is there any kind of free advisory service for startup questions (like help with drafting a business plan and stuff)?

From what I understand, your only real option might be taking out a general-purpose loan. $8333That should cover just about everything you need. Honestly, getting startup capital upfront is tough—you'll likely have better luck once the company is actually established and you can apply for various grants or incentives... check with your local municipality first, then look into things like the Small Business Administration, the SEC, and so on.

As for the most affordable bank... well, for an amount like that (don't let me get interrupted here), I think they're all pretty much the same...

For advice services—check out http://www.sba.gov/

Hey there, I have a question:

I just received my certificate of incorporation from the notary yesterday... which means phase one is officially wrapped up. Now I’m wondering:

-What's the next move? Should I head over to TurboTax to see what they suggest, or should I just handle the rest myself?

-Do I need to get a corporate seal made first, or do I go straight to the U.S. Census Bureau? 🤷

Seal->statistics->bank->IRS

Drew White45 said:Seal->statistics->bank->IRS

thanks 👍

Understood. I get the basics—how to set up an LLC, capital requirements, and all that.

If I decide to form an LLC but have more cash than patience, should I just hire a notary, a lawyer, or some other legal firm to handle the heavy lifting?

Here’s the plan: I want to start an import business bringing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from Scandinavia into the US, focusing on wholesale distributors.

Questions:

Where can I find a legal firm in New York that can handle the entire incorporation process
and provide someone to draft partnership contracts?

And where can I find a directory of potential business partners in this industry to reach out to
for cooperation agreements?

Thanks. Sophia Rodriguez13

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some advice on what it takes to start my own business. I've been working with PCs for quite a while now—everything from repairs and hardware setups to software installations. I just graduated high school with an electrical technician degree, and although I currently have a steady job, I’m really itching to branch out on my own. What are the requirements to open a small LLC focused specifically on computer repair services while I'm still working my current gig?

Basically, I'd love to know what the next steps are and how I should get the ball rolling.

Best regards,
Ivy, Stockton, CA

Hey there! I was wondering about what the actual responsibilities are for an LLC... like, do I have to pay some kind of monthly fee or contribution, and is there a minimum income requirement to keep things running?

Also, quick question—when I'm buying stuff for the business, am I supposed to be using a dedicated business account for all those transactions?

Dana Wright4 said:Hey there, I have a question:

I just received my certificate of incorporation from the notary yesterday... which means phase one is officially wrapped up. Now I’m wondering:

-What's the next move? Should I head over to TurboTax to see what they suggest, or should I just handle the rest myself?

-Do I need to get a corporate seal made first, or do I go straight to the U.S. Census Bureau? 🤷

Well, in my experience, once the registration was finalized, the folks at TurboTax actually handled the filing with the U.S. Census Bureau for me automatically. After that, they laid out a specific sequence for me to follow, and I just stuck to it:
-get the corporate seal made
-set up the business bank account
-fax over the request to transfer funds from that temporary account held at Finance over to my permanent one at the bank
-register with Social Security and the IRS (you have to register the company and the individual employees, but make sure you grab the right forms from the official government website first)
-deal with the IRS

Man, I really don't want to mess this up, so I need to ask quickly...

1. - How much does choosing my primary business activity actually matter? I'm asking because there’s one activity I could list that doesn't require any special permits, but another one—which is honestly the more important part of my business plan—definitely does.

Does it help my case if I just list an activity on my LLC paperwork that doesn't require any minimum technical requirements or certifications?

2. - If I want to transfer my car over to the business—it's currently in my personal name—how much does that appraisal cost? Also, does it matter if the registration has already expired?

Thanks in advance for the help!😁

a) I’ve heard rumors that you can't register a business name unless it’s strictly an American or Latin-based name. Is there any way around this to actually use an English name? It’s a massive deal for me because the English title is the only one that truly captures what we actually do.

b) Also, am I allowed to register my business using my current apartment address? Technically, the place is owned by my father-in-law, even though it’s effectively my husband’s place. We were planning on moving the business there once we eventually move out, but we’ve gotten a bit ahead of ourselves and decided to pull the trigger on the LLC now. Right now, we don't have any other commercial space unless we go out and rent something separately.

1. Look, your primary business category doesn't actually limit you—you can technically perform any activity listed under your business registration. But here’s the catch: if you start doing work that requires specific technical certifications or specialized equipment and you don't have them on file, you're going to have a bad time when the inspectors show up.
2. Vehicle appraisals, at least based on what I saw, can run up to $667 including tax. That was the quote from five months ago before I gave up on the whole thing, sold my old car, and picked up a new 😍
. Also, the fact that the vehicle isn't registered shouldn't be an issue, though you'll have to have it towed to the appraiser.😂

a) When I checked with Google, they told me the same thing about company names—that they need to be American, Latin, or Greek, and you might even have to provide a dictionary definition to justify the meaning. Since I deal with a ton of different companies, I know plenty of them use English names. When I asked why that wasn't allowed, they basically told me it's entirely up to the judge approving the filing. If they're feeding me lines, I'm just giving you the straight truth.
b) Honestly, I don't see why you wouldn't just register the business at your father-in-law's place. You could always pay him rent to use the space as your office; you can never have enough write-offs.😛

Many thanks, lili 👍

keskin,
I've been chewing on something lately. Why not just sell your vehicle directly to the company? You wouldn't have to deal with the headache of an official appraisal, and you'd likely walk away with a better price than whatever value some adjuster tries to slap on it to drive up your costs...😉