Starting an LLC: Where to begin?

I have to head back into the office at the Chamber of Commerce tomorrow—I went by today, but I ended up talking to the wrong person...

Now I’m facing a bit of a dilemma. I don't actually plan on launching a full-blown e-commerce website right away—it's just not a priority for me in the beginning. Instead, I'll be focusing my sales efforts through Craigslist and direct outreach.
How would that be classified? Since I'm setting up an LLC but won't have a retail storefront—just a standard office space—

It felt more like a digital catalog—basically just a glorified advertising space—rather than an actual functional e-commerce site.
If you’re looking for a legitimate online storefront, I'd suggest checking out www.amazon.com/signup or maybe www.ebay.com
The best part is there aren't any monthly maintenance fees hanging over your head; they just take a small commission once you actually make a sale.

Thanks, but I don’t even have a need for an online store right now.

So, let’s get back to my actual question—and I really hope nobody starts pitching me their private services here again, since I’m not interested.
If I need to clarify things further:

Look, I don't need a website to kick off my business operations. However, if having one becomes a mandatory requirement just to register whatever I want, then I guess I'll build one—I suppose it wouldn't be the first time people have done something silly just to satisfy some bureaucratic regulation.

EDIT: For example, take a look at this: http://www.ebay.com/str/gruponko1 I can't tell which specific regulation is driving this, but companies here list all sorts of information. I'm not sure if they're doing it just to check the box for being a "web shop" or if there's another reason behind it.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Thanks, but I don’t even have a need for an online store right now.

So, let’s get back to my actual question—and I really hope nobody starts pitching me their private services here again, since I’m not interested.
If I need to clarify things further:

Look, I don't need a website to kick off my business operations. However, if having one becomes a mandatory requirement just to register whatever I want, then I guess I'll build one—I suppose it wouldn't be the first time people have done something silly just to satisfy some bureaucratic regulation.

EDIT: For example, take a look at this: http://www.ebay.com/str/gruponko1 I can't tell which specific regulation is driving this, but companies here list all sorts of information. I'm not sure if they're doing it just to check the box for being a "web shop" or if there's another reason behind it.

It really comes down to the corporate laws governing how an LLC is registered in the States.
Plus, since Craigslist has grown into such a massive player in the advertising market, they probably don't want to deal with shady, anonymous sellers dragging down their reputation anymore.

Greetings!
So, I am currently looking at signing a representation agreement with an Italian corporation—essentially acting as their sales agent for Canada—which means they would be paying me roughly $20,000 $0.00 gross. From that amount, I’ll need to cover my own salary, travel expenses, and all the overhead for the small business I plan to launch. I am seeking some expert advice here:
Since I don't quite have the $20,000 $0.00 required to incorporate as an LLC, I am considering setting myself up as a sole proprietorship instead... My question is, what should my reported income look like, and what is the best way to withdraw the remainder of the funds they pay me (things like travel costs, renting a room to serve as my "office," etc.)??... Just to reiterate, the Italians have agreed to reimburse all startup costs related to establishing the company upon presentation of receipts...
Also, what does it actually mean when people talk about leaving a quarter of your capital sitting in a sole proprietorship?
Are there any other specific pitfalls or details I should be keeping a close eye on?
I know, I know, I have a hundred questions, but I am a complete novice in this arena...

Thank you so much!!!

I was wondering... what exactly does it take to get an LLC set up specifically for bookkeeping services?

To be more specific, I'm looking at the technical requirements—what kind of hoops do I actually have to jump through?

To register a branch office, you file an application with the court governing the founder's primary location, though you can also handle this remotely via electronic filing.

Sorry if this sounds like a total newbie question—I’m still playing catch-up trying to scroll through all the previous posts! If an American client asks me for my company's tax ID, should I be giving them my EIN or my VAT number?

If they want the EIN, do I just stick 'US' at the beginning or something?

They’re asking for my "tax number and insurance," and honestly, I’m kind of stumped... I don't have any kind of business insurance set up right now.

shadowridge48 said:Sorry if this sounds like a total newbie question—I’m still playing catch-up trying to scroll through all the previous posts! If an American client asks me for my company's tax ID, should I be giving them my EIN or my VAT number?

If they want the EIN, do I just stick 'US' at the beginning or something?

They’re asking for my "tax number and insurance," and honestly, I’m kind of stumped... I don't have any kind of business insurance set up right now.

The VAT ID is usually just the EIN preceded by a country code. I'm pretty sure the IRS issues documents where that specific ID is clearly listed.

You have to request a VAT ID directly from the IRS. You can't just slap "US" in front of your SSN and call it a day.

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly! I was totally rushing when I sent that last one—anyway, here’s my Tax ID 🙂

So, quick question—have you ever had international clients hit you up asking for proof of insurance? Since I'm in business consulting, I haven't really felt the need to get covered up to this point, but it feels like more and more big-time American clients are asking to see an insurance certificate. Maybe it's just standard practice over there and they ask out of habit?

I'm dying to know, though—do you actually manage to talk them out of it, or did you end up biting the bullet and grabbing some professional liability insurance? And if you did go that route, is there a specific provider you swear by?

Thanks a million! 🙂

shadowridge48 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly! I was totally rushing when I sent that last one—anyway, here’s my Tax ID 🙂

So, quick question—have you ever had international clients hit you up asking for proof of insurance? Since I'm in business consulting, I haven't really felt the need to get covered up to this point, but it feels like more and more big-time American clients are asking to see an insurance certificate. Maybe it's just standard practice over there and they ask out of habit?

I'm dying to know, though—do you actually manage to talk them out of it, or did you end up biting the bullet and grabbing some professional liability insurance? And if you did go that route, is there a specific provider you swear by?

Thanks a million! 🙂

I work as an IT contractor and I ran into the exact same thing (I deal with a firm in the USA, so it's not just Americans breathing down my neck). You can grab a policy through GEICO that runs about $400 to $600 a year and gives you $1 million in coverage.

Awesome, thanks so much! This is actually the first time I’ve run into someone asking for this kind of thing—I guess I’ve just been working with much smaller, less intense clients up until now, so maybe that's why I haven't seen it before!

Hey everyone, quick question—and sorry if this has already been covered, there are just way too many pages to scroll through here.

So, I have an apartment under an affordable housing program, and in the meantime, I’ve gone ahead and set up an LLC.

Obviously, I can't rent the apartment out to my own LLC for pretty obvious reasons, but the housing program officials told me that I *could* register my business address at the apartment's location.

Here's where the headache starts: the IRS wants me to charge my LLC a non-zero amount to lease the mailbox for registration purposes, but the housing program won't even allow that. It feels like they're completely contradicting themselves! Does the program even know what they're talking about?

In this situation, neither the program administrators nor the IRS can give me a straight answer—they're both just passing the buck back and forth. Has anyone else run into this kind of bureaucratic nightmare?

Under recent amendments to the Notary Public Fee Act, notary fees will be waived for any procedures specifically carried out to align base capital following the transition to the Euro as the official currency.

I’m pretty much a newbie when it comes to these types of threads. I’m just sitting here mulling things over, so I really need some guidance on which sites to hit up or what specific topics I should be digging into to get my head around this...

So, here’s the deal: I currently work for a private company, but I’ve been seriously considering launching my own side hustle while keeping my current job on the side.

Under what circumstances is that actually legal? Like, can I run a sole proprietorship, an LLC, or maybe even a corporation?

What would be the path of least resistance here? I’m looking for whatever is going to be the most painless, straightforward, and—let's be honest—cheapest way to get moving...

Thanks!

Does your current employer allow you to own part of a business or run your own side hustle?
A friend of mine actually had to sell off his stake in a company because his new boss wouldn't allow any outside ownership.

Here’s the deal: if you plan on being the director of your own LLC, someone has to cover the payroll taxes based on a minimum executive salary. If your current job pays you at least $950 a month, you’re fine. But if your paycheck is lower than that—or if you have to register with your own firm (assuming your current boss even lets you take on side work) just to make up the difference—the IRS will come knocking to collect what they're owed from you personally.

To start things off...

Alexander Morgan33 said:Does your current employer allow you to own part of a business or run your own side hustle?
A friend of mine actually had to sell off his stake in a company because his new boss wouldn't allow any outside ownership.

Here’s the deal: if you plan on being the director of your own LLC, someone has to cover the payroll taxes based on a minimum executive salary. If your current job pays you at least $950 a month, you’re fine. But if your paycheck is lower than that—or if you have to register with your own firm (assuming your current boss even lets you take on side work) just to make up the difference—the IRS will come knocking to collect what they're owed from you personally.

To start things off...

So, from what I’ve managed to wrap my head around today, the easiest move for me would be setting up a sole proprietorship for my freelance stuff.

I don't see any reason why my current employer would put the brakes on this. I'm not planning on doing anything that competes with them or touches their client base. So...
It shouldn't be an issue at all.

Some employers simply won't tolerate it, regardless of how different the side gig might be. If you're on their payroll, they expect your full attention—no moonlighting, no running your own business, no side hustles. You really need to dig through the employee handbook, the collective bargaining agreements, and your specific contract to see what the rules actually are. Even if there isn't an explicit rule against it, it’s probably wise to ask. It’s better to clear the air now than to deal with the fallout once your boss finds out what you've been up to behind the scenes.

Has anyone here ever gone through the process of setting up a business abroad? For instance, maybe somewhere in the USA rather than within the European Union.
I'm really curious about how that whole setup actually works, specifically if you're looking to launch an IT firm.