Legal guide for starting & running a small business
Book - 1992
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Genres
- Law for laypersons
- Published
-
Berkeley, Calif. :
Nolo Press
1992-
- Language
- English
- Physical Description
- volumes : illustrations ; 28 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes index.
- ISBN
- 9781413330656
- Your Legal Companion for Starting and Running a Small Business
- 1. Which Legal Form Is Best for Your Business?
- Sole Proprietorships
- Partnerships
- Corporations
- Limited Liability Companies
- Choosing Between a Corporation and an LLC
- Special Structures for Special Situations
- The Benefit Corporation
- 2. Structuring a Partnership Agreement
- Why You Need a Written Agreement
- An Overview of Your Partnership Agreement
- Changes in Your Partnership
- 3. Creating a Corporation
- The Structure of a Corporation
- Financing Your Corporation
- Compensating Yourself
- Do You Need a Lawyer to Incorporate?
- Overview of Incorporation Procedures
- Eleven Basic Steps to Incorporate
- After You Incorporate
- Safe Business Practices for Your Corporation
- 4. Creating a Limited Liability Company
- Number of Members Required
- Management of an LLC
- Financing an LLC
- Compensating Members
- Choosing a Name
- Paperwork for Setting Up an LLC
- After You Form Your LLC
- Safe Business Practices for Your LLC
- 5. Preparing for Ownership Changes With a Buyout Agreement
- Major Benefits of Adopting a Buyout Agreement
- Where to Put Your Buyout Provisions
- When to Create a Buyout Agreement
- 6. Naming Your Business and Products
- Business Names: An Overview
- Mandatory Name Procedures
- Trademarks and Service Marks
- Strong and Weak Trademarks
- Before the Trademark: Name Searches
- How to Use and Protect Your Trademark
- 7. Licenses and Permits
- Federal Registrations and Licenses
- State Requirements
- Regional Requirements
- Local Requirements
- How to Deal With Local Building and Zoning Officials
- 8. Tax Basics for the Small Business
- Employer Identification Number
- Becoming an S Corporation
- Business Taxes in General
- Business Deductions
- Tax Audits
- 9. Raising Money for Your Business
- Consider Writing a Business Plan
- Two Types of Outside Financing
- Fourteen Common Sources of Money
- Document All of the Money You Receive
- 10. Buying a Business
- Finding a Business to Buy
- What's the Structure of the Business You Want to Buy?
- Gathering Information About a Business
- Valuing the Business
- Other Items to Investigate
- Letter of Intent to Purchase
- The Sales Agreement
- The Closing
- Selling a Business
- 11. Franchises: How Not to Get Burned
- What Is a Franchise?
- The Downsides of Franchise Ownership
- Investigating a Franchise
- The Franchise Disclosure Document
- The Franchise Agreement
- Resolving Disputes With Your Franchisor
- 12. Insuring Your Business
- Working With an Insurance Agent
- Property Coverage
- Liability Insurance
- Other Insurance to Consider
- Saving Money on Insurance
- Making a Claim
- 13. Negotiating a Favorable Lease
- Finding a Place
- Leases and Rental Agreements: An Overview
- Short-Term Leases (Month-to-Month Rentals)
- Written Long-Term Leases
- Additional Clauses to Consider
- Shopping Center Leases
- How to Modify a Lease
- Landlord-Tenant Disputes
- Getting Out of a Lease
- When You Need Professional Help
- 14. Home-Based Business
- Zoning Laws
- Private Land Use Restrictions
- Insurance
- Deducting Expenses for the Business Use of Your Home
- 15. Employees and Independent Contractors
- Hiring Employees
- Job Descriptions
- Job Advertisements
- Job Applications
- Interviews
- Testing
- Background Checks
- Immigration Law Requirements
- Personnel Practices
- Illegal Discrimination
- Wages and Hours
- Occupational Safety and Health
- Workers' Compensation
- Termination of Employment
- Unemployment Compensation
- Independent Contractors
- Employers' Health Care Insurance Requirements Under Obamacare
- 16. The Importance of Excellent Customer Relations
- Developing Your Customer-Satisfaction Policy
- Telling Customers About Your Policies
- 17. Legal Requirements for Dealing With Customers
- Advertising
- Retail Pricing and Return Practices
- Warranties
- Consumer Protection Statutes
- Dealing With Customers Online
- 18. Cash, P2P Payments, Credit Cards, Checks, and Cryptocurrency
- Cash
- P2P Payments
- Credit and Debit Cards
- Checks
- Cryptocurrency
- 19. Extending Credit and Getting Paid
- The Practical Side of Extending Credit
- Laws That Regulate Consumer Credit
- Becoming a Secured Creditor
- Collection Problems
- Collection Options
- 20. Put It in Writing: Small Business Contracts
- What Makes a Valid Contract
- Unfair or Illegal Contracts
- Misrepresentation, Duress, or Mistake
- Must a Contract Be in Writing?
- Writing Business-to-Business Contracts
- Signing Your Contracts
- Electronic Business-to-Business Contracts
- Electronic Contracts for Online Sales
- Enforcing Contracts in Court
- What Can You Sue For?
- 21. The Financially Troubled Business
- Thinking Ahead to Protect Your Personal Assets
- Managing the Financially Troubled Business
- Seeking an Objective Analysis
- Workouts
- Selling the Business
- Closing the Business
- Understanding Bankruptcy
- Appendix Checklist for Starting a Small Business
- Index