That is pretty vague, I'm sure with more info there are people that would be able to help you more. There are so many variables depending on your business model and state you are located in.

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Christine Kelly, Co-Owner
Ulti-Pet
Premium Pet Foods & Treats

OK thankz

State: PA
Business: Audio visual conversions, (8-Track, record & Cassette to CD)

try this link there is some good info in there about choosing a legal business structure. That should give you a head start at least.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/bu.../menustrc.html

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Christine Kelly, Co-Owner
Ulti-Pet
Premium Pet Foods & Treats

Great site ultipet!

Registering your business (whether it be LLC, Inc, etc) is a great place to start. Depending on the scope of the business starting here will allow you to open Accounts (banks, etc) with your business name, do some B2B items as well.

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http://www.growthink.com
Growthink offers strategic business plan development, investment banking, and market research services to emerging and middle market companies.

The first thing you should do is Incorporate or set up an LLC. Then fill out an SS-4 form from the IRS under your business name. I recently visited a website on Business credit which helped me out a great deal. www.Smallbusinesscreditebook.com

The Ebook was very informative on how to get a business started and taught me how to aquire business credit without a personal gurantee. I would say that is a good place to start.

Spencelc, I'd like to ask how much it cost you incorporate?
I live in NY as well, so price should be the same. Although our business intentions are different, would you still be able to tell me how much much everything came out to be?

Thank you for posting the link ultipet. I have been looking for the info as well.
You may want to speak to a CPA (Accountant) before deceiding on a particular type of business entity (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp). It seems there are different tax advantages and disadvantages with each.

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Susanne
Rich Dad Products

Dear Friend...

You are actually officially a business whenever you have a customer. A business relationship exists whenever you there is an arrangement for mutual benefit between you and the person for whom you offer a product or a service.

If you are the owner, or the only person running this business, then you have officially started a business organization that is known as a "sole proprietorship". No paperwork or extra effort is necessary. There is however, an obligation to the IRS to report income and you are exposed to unlimited liability in the event that you are sued.

If you and a buddy get together to run a business, then you are a partnership. No paperwork or extra effort is necessary. You are even subject to the laws of your state as they pertain to a partnership. What's more, the IRS will officially recognize you as a business entity in the form a partnership and will require your to pay taxes (or allow your to receive a tax credit), based on your profits and losses and your partnership interests. And you can either be sued individually or along with your partner and still be exposed to unlimited liability.

However, if you need to limit your liability and to shield your personal assets then you might form a corporation. This DOES require paperwork. Forming a corporation is actually te process of forming a legal person. That legal person in able to do everything that you and I can do, except for the fact that it has no physical body. Everything that is done by this legal person gets done through other people. Therefore, if the legal person does something worthy of being sued, then as long as you (as a shareholder) were acting on the legal person's behalf you cannot be sued. However, there are many ways to get to your personal assets nevertheless. Furthermore, just like any other person, the legal person has to pay taxes too. When this legal person pays you for being it's arms, legs, mouth and brains (in other word, when you receive any income), you too must pay taxes. Thus, you are taxed twice. There are ways to avoid double taxation (S Corporations, Limited-Liability Corporations and others, I'm sure), but the point is don't take forming a corporation lightly. There are easier ways to be "official" and still in business. I hope this helps. I wish you the very best.

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Entrepreneurially yours,

John W. Woodall, Jr., President
Pinnacle Endeavours Management Concepts Group
www.ultimatereward.com
A free online course for the entrepreneur who dares to be more than just a small business owner!

Is that even legal? I mean, do you need to get licensing permissions, etc.?