Choosing the Right Entity for Your Business Goals
Explore options for setting up an entity for your business in Vermont. Professor Oliver Goodenough frames this topic by considering business goals and then choosing the entity that will work for your unique business. We also discuss the different reasons businesses might pick a particular kind of legal form or entity, and how that choice impacts the business’s legal structure and protections.
The webinar opens with an explanation of the different entity options in Vermont:
- Sole proprietor
- Partnership
- Limited liability company (LLC)
- Corporation
- Cooperative (in general)
- Consumer/producer cooperative
- Worker-owned cooperative
- Benefit corporation (aka mutual benefit corporation in Vermont)
- Non-profit tax status (aka public benefit corporation in Vermont)
In considering an entity structure, Professor Goodenough reviews how the following goals and concerns might impact how you run your business and when outside support from lawyers and tax accountants is helpful:
- Personal vs business liability
- Tax structure & how an accountant will help
- Debt investment and donations
- Legitimacy and structure
- Communicating your mission
- Planning your legacy
- How a lawyer can help you choose your business entity
- Shares tools and tips for setting up an entity yourself
Mentioned in this webinar is another session that addresses liability and indemnification: vtsbdc.org/less-risk-more-security. We encourage you to explore our other past webinars and resources at: vtsbdc.org/cnpp-webinars.
This webinar was presented on August 16, 2023.
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To connect with the Vermont Law & Graduate School’s Community Navigator services that provide legal education and (for qualifying business owners) legal support go to: VermontLaw.edu/cnpp.
Find more upcoming (or past) webinars and resources to help you start and grow your Vermont business at:
vtsbdc.org/community-navigator-pilot-program-cnpp.
This program is funded (in part) through a grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration as part of the Community Navigator Pilot Program.