More Details

Edition

11th ed.

Description

458 p. : forms ; 28 cm.

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

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

2: Structuring A Partnership Agreement Why you need a written agreement

Overview of your partnership agreement -- Changes in your partnership

3: Creating A Corporation

Structure of a corporation -- Financing your corporation -- Compensating yourself -- Do you need a lawyer to incorporate? -- Overview of incorporation procedures -- Twelve basic steps to incorporate -- After you incorporate -- Safe business practices for you 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 -- How to protect your trademark -- Name searches

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 as 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 -- Thirteen 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 -- Sales agreement -- Closing -- Selling a business

11: Franchises: How Not To Get Burned

What is a franchise? -- Downsides of franchise ownership -- Investigating a franchise -- Uniform franchise offering circular -- 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 -- Worker's compensation -- Termination of employment -- Unemployment compensation -- Independent contractors

16: 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, Credit Cards, And Checks

Cash -- Credit and debit cards -- Checks

19: Extending Credit And Getting Paid

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 make 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 -- Enforcing contracts in court -- What can you sue for?

21: Financially Troubled Business

Thinking ahead to protect your personal assets -- Managing the financially troubled business -- Seeking an objective analysis -- Workouts -- Selling or closing the business -- Understanding bankruptcy

22: Resolving Legal Disputes

Negotiating a settlement -- Understanding mediation -- Arbitration -- Going to court

23: Representing Yourself In Small Claims Court

Deciding whether to represent yourself -- Learning the rules -- Meeting the jurisdictional limits -- Before you file your lawsuit -- Figuring out whom to sue -- Handling your small claims court lawsuit -- Representing yourself if you're the defendant -- Appealing small claims decisions -- Collecting your judgment

24: Lawyers And Legal Research

How to find the right lawyer -- Fees and bills -- Problems with your lawyer -- Do-it-yourself legal research

Appendixes

A: Checklist for starting a small business

B: Federal trade commission offices

Index

Summary

Synopsis: Start and run your business with this all-in-one book. Small business owners are regularly confronted by a bewildering array of legal questions and problems. Ignoring them can lead to disaster, but with lawyers typically charging $200-$300 an hour, calling one to answer routine legal questions can be a fast track to the poorhouse. Fortunately, you have a better alternative. Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business clearly explains the practical and legal information. The 11th edition is revised to provide the latest regulations, tax numbers and business realities in a changing economy. It also provides a start-up checklist, an expanded discussion about choosing a business structure, updates to bankruptcy law -- and much more.

26.00 BUS ED GEN (99-BEG-9) SM BUS EP (31-145-1)

Subject

Business administration -- Entrepreneurship -- United States.

Business education -- Popular works -- United States.

Small business -- Law and legislation -- United States -- Popular works.

Business enterprises -- Law and legislation -- United States -- Popular works.

Added Title

Legal guide for starting and running a small business