​New entrepreneurs can start out on the right foot by making sure they understand the tax responsibilities of running a business. The process can seem daunting, but IRS.gov has resources to help new business owners.

Here are a few things new entrepreneurs need to do when starting their business.

Choose a business structure
The form of business determines which income tax return a business taxpayer needs to file. The most common business structures are:

• Sole proprietorship: An unincorporated business owned by an individual. There's no distinction between the taxpayer and their business.
• Partnership: An unincorporated business with ownership shared between two or more people.
• Corporation: Also known as a C corporation. It's a separate entity owned by shareholders.
• S Corporation: A corporation that elects to pass corporate income, losses, deductions and credits through to the shareholders.
• Limited Liability Company: A business structure allowed by state statute.

Choose a tax year
A tax year is an annual accounting period for keeping records and reporting income and expenses. A new business owner must choose either:

• Calendar year: 12 consecutive months beginning January 1 and ending December 31.
• Fiscal year: 12 consecutive months ending on the last day of any month except December.

Apply for an employer identification number
An EIN is also called a federal tax identification number. It's used to identify a business. Most businesses need one of these numbers. It's important for a business with an EIN to keep the business mailing address, location and responsible party up to date. IRS regulations require EIN holders to report changes in the responsible party within 60 days. They do this by completing Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party and mailing it to the address on the form.

Have all employees complete these forms

• Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Form W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate

Pay business taxes
The form of business determines what taxes must be paid and how to pay them.

Visit state's website
Prospective business owners should visit their state's website for info about state requirements.

GLM has been working with business owners for many years. One of the biggest concerns most business have is: "Should I make them an employee or just in independent contractor?" This information is direct from the IRS:

A business might pay an independent contractor and an employee for the same or similar work, but there are key legal differences between the two. It is critical for business owners to correctly determine whether the people providing services are employees or independent contractors.
Here’s some information to help business owners avoid problems that can result from misclassifying workers.

An employee is generally considered anyone who performs services, if the business can control what will be done and how it will be done. What matters is that the business has the right to control the details of how the worker's services are performed. Independent contractors are normally people in an independent trade, business or profession in which they offer their services to the public.

Independent contractor vs. employee
Whether a worker is an independent contractor, or an employee depends on the relationship between the worker and the business. Generally, there are three categories to consider.

• Behavioral control − Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does the job?
• Financial control − Does the business direct or control the financial and business aspects of the worker's job. Are the business aspects of the worker's job controlled by the payer? Things like how the worker is paid, are expenses reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.
• Relationship of the parties − Are there written contracts or employee type benefits such as pension plan, insurance, vacation pay? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?

Misclassified worker
Misclassifying workers as independent contractors adversely affects employees because the employer's share of taxes is not paid, and the employee's share is not withheld. If a business misclassified an employee, the business can be held liable for employment taxes for that worker. Generally, an employer must withhold and pay income taxes, Social Security and Medicare taxes, as well as unemployment taxes. Workers who believe they have been improperly classified as independent contractors generally must receive a determination of worker status from the IRS. Then they can use Form 8919, Uncollected Social Security and Medicare Tax on Wages to figure and report their share of uncollected social security and Medicare taxes due on their compensation.

Voluntary Classification Settlement Program
The Voluntary Classification Settlement Program is an optional program that provides businesses with an opportunity to reclassify their workers as employees for future employment tax purposes. This program offers partial relief from federal employment taxes for eligible businesses who agree to prospectively treat their workers as employees. Businesses must meet certain eligibility requirements and apply by filing Form 8952, Application for Voluntary Classification Settlement Program, and enter into a closing agreement with the IRS

Who is self-employed?
Generally, someone is self-employed if any of the following apply to them.

• They carry on a trade or business as a sole proprietor or an independent contractor.
• They are a member of a partnership that carries on a trade or business.
• They are otherwise in business for themselves, including a part-time business.

Self-employed individuals, including those who earn money from gig economy work, are generally required to file an tax return and make estimated quarterly tax payments. They also generally must pay self-employment tax which is social security and Medicare tax as well as income tax. These taxpayers may qualify for the home office deduction if they use part of a home for business

Our partner Human Interest, a highly rated, cost-friendly 401(k) provider, can help you integrate or start a 401(k) with any Payroll Company. 

With Human Interest, you’ll be able to:

• Seamlessly manage employee contributions and deductions from payroll through our integration with Human Interest
• Receive ongoing support, transparent pricing and zero transaction fees
• Save even more with tax credits like the SECURE Act that can be up to $15,000, with $5,000 per year for the first 3 years

Human Interest has helped many of my clients provide their employees an option, to help better prepare them in the future! Nancy Gilliam will be happy to connect you with her Account Executive and to find a time that works best for you, or please let me know a time that would work best for you in the meantime.

You can learn more here:

​Family (Personal) Challenges
 
Emotions and inability to separate business and family. Family problems and dynamics will affect the business. Divorce, separations, health or financial problems also create difficult political situations for the family members.  Emotions can interfere with business decisions, and trying to make one another happy constantly is unrealistic.
 
Tunnel vision. Lack of outside opinions and diversity on how to operate the business.  No-one, like a business coach, to ask the tough questions.
 
Role confusion. Roles and responsibilities (for active and passive family members) must be clearly defined. Absence of clear written policies and business norms for family members.  Going from family character to business professionalism can create confusion.
 
Paternalistic and Overly Conservative. Control is centralized and influenced by tradition instead of good management practices.  Older family members try to preserve the status quo and resist change. Especially resistance to ideas and change proposed by the younger generation.
 
Communication problems. Usually provoked by role confusion, emotions (envy, fear, anger), political divisions or other relationship problems create barriers to effective communication.
 
Retirement and estate planning. Long term planning to cover the necessities and realities of older members when they leave the company.

​When you own a family business, there are two types of challenges you have to deal with; Business Challenges and Family Issues. We will talk about both, this week starting with Business Issues.

Business Challenges
 
Lack of written strategy. No documented business plan or long term planning. Decisions are made day-to-day in response to problems. No long-term or strategic planning.
 
Control of operations and compensation problems for family members. Dividends, salaries, benefits and compensation for non-participating family members are not clearly defined and justified.  Lack of participation in the day-to-day work and supervision required. Which family members are shareholders vs. daily management.  Difficulty controlling non-participating members of the family.
 
Vision, Growth and Expansion. Each family member has a different vision of the business and different goals. Problems due to lack of capital and new investment or resistance to re-investment in the business.  What measures must be taken to grow locally, nationally, and internationally.
 
Succession Planning. Most family organizations do not have a plan for handing the power to the next generation, leading to great political conflicts and divisions.  Problems when the next generation is not adequately prepared for take-over.  There are some specific issues related to the third generation.
 
Business Valuation and Exit strategy. No knowledge of the worth of the business, and the factors that make it valuable or decrease its value.  No clear plan on how to sell, close or walk away from the business.
 
Lack of talent and Training. Hiring family members who are not qualified or lack the skills and abilities for the organization. Inability to fire them when it is clear they are not working out.   There should be a specific training program when you integrate family members into the company. This should provide specific information related to the goals, expectations and obligations of the position.
 
High turnover of non-family members. Happens when employees feel that the family “mafia” will always advance over outsiders and when employees realize that management is incompetent.

You may know that Tom Gosche, Business Strategist of GLM, has been the President of the local Rotary Club of Schaumburg Hoffman Estates. This club has given time money and Energy to local causes for over 53 years. During that time, when the club was presented with a need, we figured out what we could do to help.

Along the way, we help start the Schaumburg AM Club and have been working together as much as we could to help the local community.

This project is no different. Dave Ligman, Autos teacher at Hoffman Estates High school, has been working with all of us over the years finding outstanding candidates for our Applied Technology Scholarships that helped students pay for education and training in the trades. We provided around $10,000 a year and had candidates’ winning the Rotary District 6440 Awards as well.

About a year ago, Dave Ligman mentioned to Don Minor, a long time Rotary member and very active with our Applied Technology Scholarships, that many students still need help getting the tools they needed for the training and beyond. Don found fellow Rotarians that could help put this together. Cris Hinojosa, owner of BNC Auto Body, gather the tools list and made contacts in getting quality tools.

Don enlisted the Help of the Schaumburg AM Club and Jim McKenzie came in to help. Holly Fath, our Club’s Youth Service Director became a cheerleader for the cause. After a short presentation at our meeting, hearing from a student we had award scholarships to in the past, we asked for financial support of the members in the club. Now, here we are giving the first set of tool kits to worthy students to use during their education and beyond.

I know there are many clients of GLM who are in the Auto industry. If you are interested in helping young students and potentially future employees, please contact Tom Gosche tgosche@scherotary.org 

Here is a Daily Herald Article Highlighting the program:
https://www.dailyherald.com/entlife/20220707/rotary-clubs-give-district-211-automotive-students-jump-start-on-careers

This reflects the view of Tom Gosche, your happy GLM blogger every week:

I was born and raised in Illinois. I also attended Northern Illinois University and had opportunity to get jobs in both Wisconsin and Indiana After Graduation. I will admit that I am a home body, who did not want to be away from my parents, but still enjoyed being in Illinois.

I will admit, one of my sons attends School in Iowa, but there are Scholarships in the mix that was not offer by an Illinois School.

Illinois has traditionally had its problems. Pension, not paying their bills timely and corrupt politics. Some of that is changing, but what people forget is everything else that Illinois has to offer.

I refer to an article I saw in the Daily Herald Business Section on Sunday May 1st,2022 about Intercept Illinois. I have been following the happenings of Intersect Illinois since its inception a few years ago during the Gov. Bruce Rauner administration.
 
Here is the Link to the Article:
https://www.dailyherald.com/business/20220501/changing-the-narrative-out-of-state-businesses-are-buying-illinois-sales-pitch?utm_source=morning%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article%20column&utm_campaign=Morning%20Alert%205%2F1%2F2022

Here is the Link to the Intersect Illinois Organization:
https://intersectillinois.org/

a)       How much do you want to make this year (Total)?
 
                            ________________________      (Example: $100, 000)
 
b)       What percent of that would you like to come from Referrals? 
 
                            ________________%                  (Example: 10%)
 

1. What is the actual amount you want to receive from Referrals?

 
                            ________________                     (Example: $10,000)
                   (Answer from a x Answer from b)
 
d)       How much do you make on your average sale?
 
                           ________________________      (Example: $1000 per sale ave.)
 
e)       How many referrals need to turn into business to achieve this?
 
                            _______________________        (Example: 10 Referrals)
                          (Answer from c / Answer from d)
 
f)         What is your approximate Close ratio?  

                            _________________________% (Example: 50%)
 
g)       How many total referrals do you need to get to get close to your goals?
         
                           ________________________      (Example: 25+)
                        (Answer from e x 2.5 answer from f)
 
h)       How many referrals do you need to give?
         
                            ______________________          (Example: 25+)
                     (Greater then or equal to the answer from g)
 
Now use the chart to have your goals for each month. (Below)
 
Power Partner Appointments   (Average 2 per week)

Choose a business structure
The business structure you choose influences everything from day-to-day operations, to taxes, to how much of your personal assets are at risk. You should choose a business structure that gives you the right balance of legal protections and benefits.
Your business structure affects how much you pay in taxes, your ability to raise money, the paperwork you need to file, and your personal liability.

Nonprofit corporation
Nonprofit corporations are organized to do charity, education, religious, literary, or scientific work. Because their work benefits the public, nonprofits can receive tax-exempt status, meaning they don't pay state or federal taxes income taxes on any profits it makes.
Nonprofit corporations need to follow organizational rules very similar to a regular C corp. They also need to follow special rules about what they do with any profits they earn. For example, they can't distribute profits to members or political campaigns.
Nonprofits are often called 501(c)(3) corporations — a reference to the section of the Internal Revenue Code that is most commonly used to grant tax-exempt status.

Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. ... B Corps form a community of leaders and drive a global movement of people using business as a force for good.

While B Corp claims that certification balances the interests of shareholders with the interests of workers, customers, communities and the environment, B Corp standards are not legally enforceable. ... Certification is initially self-assessed, and doesn't override the profit-driven focus of the company.
What is the difference between a benefit corporation and a B Corporation?

The B Corp Certification is a third-party certification administered by the non-profit B Lab, based in part on a company's verified performance on the B Impact Assessment. The benefit corporation is a legal structure for a business, like an LLC or a corporation.

To qualify for a one-year term as a Pending B Corp, your company must:

1. Meet the legal accountability requirement for B Corp Certification. ...
2. Complete and submit a prospective B Impact Assessment. ...
3. Sign the Pending B Corp Agreement and pay a one-time fee of $500.

A benefit corporation is formed just like a traditional for-profit corporation, by filing articles of incorporation with the appropriate state agency. However, benefit corporation articles of incorporation will include a statement of its social or environmental purpose.

Your business can apply for B Corp certification whether it's organized as a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC), or incorporated as a traditional C corporation. ... Startups can't earn B Corp status until they have been in business 12 months but they can apply for a certification-pending seal.
https://bcorporation.net/about-b-corps

The business structure you choose influences everything from day-to-day operations, to taxes, to how much of your personal assets are at risk. You should choose a business structure that gives you the right balance of legal protections and benefits.
Your business structure affects how much you pay in taxes, your ability to raise money, the paperwork you need to file, and your personal liability.

This week we talk about Corporations

C corp
A corporation, sometimes called a C corp, is a legal entity that's separate from its owners. Corporations can make a profit, be taxed, and can be held legally liable.
Corporations offer the strongest protection to its owners from personal liability, but the cost to form a corporation is higher than other structures. Corporations also require more extensive record-keeping, operational processes, and reporting.
Unlike sole proprietors, partnerships, and LLCs, corporations pay income tax on their profits. In some cases, corporate profits are taxed twice — first, when the company makes a profit, and again when dividends are paid to shareholders on their personal tax returns.
Corporations can be a good choice for medium- or higher-risk businesses, businesses that need to raise money, and businesses that plan to "go public" or eventually be sold.
​
S corp
An S corporation, sometimes called an S corp, is a special type of corporation that's designed to avoid the double taxation drawback of regular C corps. S corps allow profits, and some losses, to be passed through directly to owners' personal income without ever being subject to corporate tax rates.
S corps also have an independent life, just like C corps. If a shareholder leaves the company or sells his or her shares, the S corp can continue doing business relatively undisturbed.
S corps can be a good choice for a businesses that would otherwise be a C corp, but meet the criteria to file as an S corp.