Starting an LLC: Where to begin?

Charles Howard74 said:like $1200 , plus getting the business registered

Are we talking just about the re-registration, or the whole package?
They're really taking him for a ride.😁

Joshua Howard said:Are we talking just about the re-registration, or the whole package?
They're really taking him for a ride.😁

It’s always better to include as much as possible during the initial registration. Why bother later when making changes usually ends up being incredibly expensive?

Kimberly Harris6 said:It’s always better to include as much as possible during the initial registration. Why bother later when making changes usually ends up being incredibly expensive?

And how exactly is that supposed to help me? I don't have a crystal ball😁

Besides that, I included everything I could think of that I might one day want to do, but here we are... I've officially started chasing the impossible.😁

I gotta be honest, that notary was being super difficult about registering everything, but he was the closest one and, you know, probably the cheapest. I ended up playing phone tag with him for 30 days straight. Total disaster.

And get this—it’s like they don’t even know which federal laws govern business registration, let alone how things work at the Secretary of State's office. Seriously? The absolute craziest part is that you can register the exact same business name in different states if it isn't already taken there. Like, imagine trying to register "The Bandit Gang LLC" in California; the state wouldn't allow it because someone beat you to it... ;) But hey, you could just head over to Texas or Florida and sign right up since nobody there has claimed it yet.

Joshua Howard said:And how exactly is that supposed to help me? I don't have a crystal ball😁

Besides that, I included everything I could think of that I might one day want to do, but here we are... I've officially started chasing the impossible.😁

Look, I get it. I really do. But at the end of the day, there’s no way around it: you just have to pay up.

Well, after scouring the web and sending off a mountain of emails to the Department of Commerce, I’ve come to the realization that you can't actually register a formal business specifically for childcare services. It looks like any agency would essentially just act as a middleman connecting babysitters with families, where the actual care happens in the client's own home.
Is my assessment correct, or am I missing some legal loophole somewhere? Thanks in advance.

I officially launched my LLC back in February, and I thought I had all my bases covered—getting the seal made, dealing with the IRS, setting up the business bank account, and all that good stuff. The only thing I didn't do was register the company with the Social Security Administration and the UN. To be honest, when I was talking to some folks at the local government office, they told me straight up that since I don't have any employees on payroll yet, those registrations weren't necessary. Since I’m already employed by another company, my entire business activity since day one has basically just been buying equipment and getting my workspace ready for action. But now, things are finally moving, and I’ve decided it’s time to actually hire someone! So, here’s my dilemma: am I technically breaking any rules because I didn't register with the SSA or the UN immediately upon forming the company? And more importantly, is it going to cause a massive headache tomorrow when I try to register the business and the new employee at the exact same time?

Thanks

It won't.
I dealt with a similar headache recently. My only real issue was trying to register my business with the UN because my official records were still tied to my old address. Once I got that updated, everything went through smoothly that very same day.

Hello,
I am looking into launching a children's toy and gear boutique (LLC), and I have a few questions.

1. Regarding staffing for the shop: am I required to hire someone with a background in business or retail studies, or can I just hire anyone? As for myself, I graduated from a technical high school and hold a degree in a related field—so, certainly nothing in commerce.
2. If a business degree is mandatory for staff, could I simply complete a retail certification course instead? How long does that typically take, what is the cost, and does anyone have a link?
3. Is it possible to register an LLC in a state different from where the owner resides? And if I do that, would I be obligated to hire a dedicated bookkeeper or some sort of administrative assistant?

Thanks in advance.

Charles Ortiz75 said:Hello,
I am looking into launching a children's toy and gear boutique (LLC), and I have a few questions.

1. Regarding staffing for the shop: am I required to hire someone with a background in business or retail studies, or can I just hire anyone? As for myself, I graduated from a technical high school and hold a degree in a related field—so, certainly nothing in commerce.
2. If a business degree is mandatory for staff, could I simply complete a retail certification course instead? How long does that typically take, what is the cost, and does anyone have a link?
3. Is it possible to register an LLC in a state different from where the owner resides? And if I do that, would I be obligated to hire a dedicated bookkeeper or some sort of administrative assistant?

Thanks in advance.

1. you can hire whoever
3. yeah you can, and you don't need a manager, but I don't know how you plan on running a shop in a different city? (if it's nearby maybe it's fine, but if not you might need someone you really trust)

Henry Adams58 said:Hello everyone...

I find myself in a bit of a unique position now that the house is finally built, so I'm looking to pick up all the necessary appliances... at the same time, I’ve been weighing the idea of setting up an LLC for my wife’s hair salon business, perhaps even expanding into a few other service ventures along the way. Since building a home always seems to drain the bank account faster than expected, I was wondering if it might be feasible to use some of the startup capital from the new company to help cover those household purchases I already had planned...

So, I’m setting up an LLC, and I figured I'd use the initial startup capital to pick up some essential equipment... naturally, all these items would be housed right at the company's headquarters. It seems like a perfectly justifiable business expense, wouldn't you agree? A high-end washer for my wife's linens, a fridge stocked with drinks for clients, maybe a premium stove just for brewing the perfect cup of coffee...

Since the business would be operating outside the sales tax system right from the beginning, there wouldn't even be a need to file for any credits or refunds in the first place... or would there...?

I’ve never been particularly fond of the sole proprietorship model, mostly because having all that personal liability hanging over your head feels a bit too risky... I much prefer the flexibility of an LLC, where I can branch out into different ventures and actually start building up some real profit...

I would truly value your thoughts on this matter, if you wouldn't mind sharing them...

Thank you...

Yeah, you wouldn't ask for a refund since you aren't in the sales tax system, but maybe it actually makes sense to just jump in from the start and claim it. 😉

Henry King5 said:1. you can hire whoever
3. yeah you can, and you don't need a manager, but I don't know how you plan on running a shop in a different city? (if it's nearby maybe it's fine, but if not you might need someone you really trust)

Thanks for getting back to me.
Point 3 would only really matter if there was a legal requirement for the owner or manager to have a specific business degree. In that scenario, I was considering bringing on a co-owner from out of state who holds those credentials, so I was wondering if that's even an option.
Since a business degree isn't a prerequisite, there's no real need to bring in a partner from another state.
Best regards.

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to figure out what the monthly overhead looks like for an LLC if the business isn't actually doing anything at all. What kind of drain am I looking at?

wearyraven41 said:Hey everyone,

I'm trying to figure out what the monthly overhead looks like for an LLC if the business isn't actually doing anything at all. What kind of drain am I looking at?

We’ve already touched on this in the forums if you want to dig through the archives for more details, but let’s be real: you have to account for those monthly maintenance fees on your checking account. Why does anyone think a basic bank account comes for free? $6.75$55.00 for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce membership? That’s what they want us to pay just for the privilege of existing? Honestly, that would be a steal if they actually did anything of value. But let's be real—if they aren't actually working for us, why are we even footing the bill? I feel like I'm forgetting something here, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Sorry in advance if I'm being lazy here—I’m sure the answer is already out there somewhere, but I just can't be bothered to hunt for it myself.
So, I'm looking into starting an LLC. My plan is to be the sole owner, but I'd hire someone else to serve as the CEO/Director, and then I'd probably have two other employees on board. Since I already have a full-time job, is it actually possible to keep my current position without any issues? Also, if I'm listed as the owner, who takes the fall if the business goes belly up—me or the director? And regarding fines from inspections—whether it's something minor like smoking in a non-smoking area or something much more serious—would I be held liable, or would that responsibility fall on the director instead?

Thanks so much!

Kimberly Harris6 said:We’ve already touched on this in the forums if you want to dig through the archives for more details, but let’s be real: you have to account for those monthly maintenance fees on your checking account. Why does anyone think a basic bank account comes for free? $6.75$55.00 for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce membership? That’s what they want us to pay just for the privilege of existing? Honestly, that would be a steal if they actually did anything of value. But let's be real—if they aren't actually working for us, why are we even footing the bill? I feel like I'm forgetting something here, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Hi everyone!
I was wondering if my colleagues running accounting services could share what you’re currently charging to manage bookkeeping for these types of trading companies. Specifically, I mean businesses with zero turnover that are still registered in the sales tax system. Thanks in advance!

Nathan Campbell4 said:Sorry in advance if I'm being lazy here—I’m sure the answer is already out there somewhere, but I just can't be bothered to hunt for it myself.
So, I'm looking into starting an LLC. My plan is to be the sole owner, but I'd hire someone else to serve as the CEO/Director, and then I'd probably have two other employees on board. Since I already have a full-time job, is it actually possible to keep my current position without any issues? Also, if I'm listed as the owner, who takes the fall if the business goes belly up—me or the director? And regarding fines from inspections—whether it's something minor like smoking in a non-smoking area or something much more serious—would I be held liable, or would that responsibility fall on the director instead?

Thanks so much!

A legal entity is the company; the responsible party is the director.

Kimberly Harris6 said:A legal entity is the company; the responsible party is the director.

Thanks,

Here’s the actual situation: I’m currently an employee at Walmart, and my fiancé has saved up some cash and wants to start an LLC—maybe a small pizzeria or something similar. My current employer has already looked into it and decided there's no conflict of interest, so as far as they're concerned, I'm free to be an owner.

My only real worry is what happens if the business goes under or if something goes sideways; I don't want to end up stuck in a county jail somewhere.😕

Hey there,
I'm looking into starting my own business. I'm estimating my annual revenue will be around $130 $0.00, with expenses sitting at about $71 $0.00 (keep in mind this doesn't include payroll or taxes
).
If I’ve got my math right, here is how the tax situation looks:

12 months x $583(health and medicare insurance) = $21 $0.00
Sales Tax 23% = $4500
Corporate Income Tax at 14% (leaving me with 24 $0.00 net) = $1120
That leaves me with a clean $21 $200 minus whatever I pay my accountant
If I set up as a sole proprietorship under the sales tax system, would everything stay the same except for that income tax rate (14%), or am I missing some other variable in the mix?