Articles & FAQs
Accounting Terms Every Businessperson Should Know
This glossary of accounting terms will get you up to speed if you're new to business.
Avoid Trademark Infringement When You Choose a Domain Name
How to choose a domain name and stay out of trouble.
Business Financing FAQ
Business Income Defined
There are many different kinds of business income, and almost all of them are taxable.
Choosing and Registering a Domain Name
How to pick, register, and protect your website's unique address.
Choosing the Best Ownership Structure for Your Business
The right structure -- corporation, LLC, partnership, or sole proprietorship -- depends on who will own your business and what its activities will be.
Closing Your Business: What You Need to Do
Follow these steps to close your business safely and legally.
Consumer Credit Laws
If your business extends credit to its customers, you'll need to comply with federal consumer credit laws.
Current vs. Capitalized Expenses
When you may deduct a given expense depends in part on whether it is considered a current or capital expense.
Email Privacy
If you want privacy, don't count on email. Here's why.
Evaluating Your Business Idea FAQ
Finding and Renting Space for Your Business FAQ
Getting Permission to Publish: Ten Tips for Webmasters
Think you can use someone else's work on your website without a licensing agreement? Think again.
Hobby Business Rules
Be ready to prove that your hobby is a business if you want to write off your losses.
Insuring Your Home Business
If you work out of your home, you may need additional insurance coverage.
Internet Business Method Patents
A company that develops a new way of conducting e-commerce may be able to prevent others from using it for almost two decades.
Loans and Equity Investments Compared
How to choose between getting a loan or selling part of your business to an equity investor.
Meta Tags and Customer Confusion
Improper use of someone else's trademark in your meta tags can land you in legal hot water.
Negotiating the Best Commercial Lease Terms
Negotiating a good lease can save you money. Learn where landlords are willing to make concessions.
Nondisclosure Agreements
Learn about nondisclosure, or confidentiality, agreements -- the best way for a business to protect its trade secrets.
Pick a Legal Location and Avoid Zoning Trouble
Be sure your chosen location allows your type of business.
Promissory Notes
Find out the ways a promissory note can call for repayment of a loan.
Raising Money for Your Small Business
Here’s the lowdown on whether to borrow money or sell part of your business to an equity investor.
Raising Money Through Equity Investments
Bringing investors into your business gets you more than just money -- you get new co-owners, too.
Registering Your Business Name
You may need to register your business name with the local, state, or federal government -- especially if it's considered fictitious.
Risky Businesses
Businesses that take chances start out with a strike against them.
Seven Rules for Legal Advertising
Be sure you comply with laws against deceptive or misleading advertising.
Small Business Insurance
No matter what type of business structure you choose, it pays to buy adequate insurance.
Small Business Taxes FAQ
State Start-Up Requirements
Yet another governmental level to deal with.
Tax on Internet Sales
Here's the skinny on Internet sales tax.
Ten Tips for Financially Troubled Businesses
If your company is facing financial difficulties, read these tips to keep out of trouble with the IRS, bankruptcy courts, and your bank.
The Home-Office Tax Deduction
Running a business from home can help you lower your tax bill.
The Use of Electronic Signatures and Contracts
When electronic signatures are used, contracts created online are now as legal as those on paper.
Top Ten Deductions for Your Business
Deducting expenses can save you money.
Trade Secret Basics FAQ
Types of Ownership Structures
Learn about the corporation, LLC, partnership, and sole proprietorship.
Understanding Commercial Leases
Before you rent space for your business, be sure you understand these basic facts about commercial leases.
Understanding Small Business Tax Deductions
You can reduce your business taxes by deducting most of what you spend.
Ways to Organize Your Business
This chart lists the pros and cons of corporations, LLCs, partnerships, sole proprietorships, and more.
What Auditors Look for When Examining a Business
Know what an IRS auditor looks for when examining your business and its records.
What to Do If the Domain Name You Want Is Taken
You may find that someone else has snapped up the domain name of your dreams. Here are your options.
When Is an ISP Liable for the Acts of Its Subscribers?
In the United States, two federal laws provide a powerful shield for ISPs that follow the rules. Here's how they work.
When You Can't Pay Your Business Debts: Personal Liability and Bankruptcy Options
If your business is in the red, take steps to protect your personal assets.
Corporation Basics
Forming a corporation limits your personal liability for business debts, but running one takes work.
Corporations FAQ
Cut Taxes With Corporate Income Splitting
You can reduce overall income taxes by taking advantage of lower corporate tax rates.
Earning Income as a Nonprofit Corporation
It's a myth that your 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization can't make a profit, but some of it may be taxable.
Five Reasons to Incorporate Your Nonprofit Association
Not sure whether to incorporate your nonprofit? Here's some information to help you decide.
How Corporations Are Taxed
Learn the benefits and drawbacks of corporate taxation before you decide how to structure your business.
How LLCs Are Taxed
LLC owners report business income and losses on their personal tax returns.
How Partnerships Are Taxed
Learn the essentials of this complicated subject before you file your tax return.
How Sole Proprietors Are Taxed
Sole proprietors pay taxes on business income on their personal tax returns.
Limited Liability Company FAQ
LLC Basics
Limited liability companies combine the best aspects of partnerships and corporations.
Nonprofit Basics
Nonprofit corporations are entitled to grants, tax exemptions, and limited liability protection.
Partnership Basics
Learn more about the simplest business structure for companies with more than one owner.
Partnerships FAQ
Plan for Changes in LLC Ownership With Buy-Sell Provisions
Every business needs a buyout, or buy-sell, agreement to decide what will happen if an owner wants out.
Plan for Changes in Partnership Ownership With a Buy-Sell Agreement
Your partnership agreement isn't complete without a buyout agreement stating what will happen when a partner leaves the business.
Plan for Ownership Changes With a Shareholders' Agreement
Buyout, or buy-sell, agreements cover what happens when an owner wants out.
Professional Corporations
In many states, professionals who want to incorporate their practices must create what's called a professional corporation.
Running a Business With Your Spouse
Your spouse can participate in your sole proprietorship -- a little.
Running a Corporation
If you don't keep adequate records and minutes of meetings, you could lose your limited liability protection.
Running Your Nonprofit Corporation
Learn how to protect your tax-exempt status while running a nonprofit corporation.
S Corporation Facts
S corporations are similar to LLCs in that they provide owners with limited liability protection while offering the tax structure of a partnership.
Sole Proprietorship Basics
If you're going into business on your own, the simplest legal structure is the sole proprietorship.
Sole Proprietorships FAQ
Special Allocations
You must carefully follow IRS rules if you want to divide profits and losses in a way that's disproportionate to the owners' interests in the business.
When Your Spouse Helps Out With Your LLC
Be careful to avoid problems with legal and tax liability.
Applying for a Visa Abroad: U.S. Embassies and Consulates
Where and how to get the right to spend a limited amount of time in the United States.
Applying for a Visa in the U.S.: The Immigration Authorities
After getting the go-ahead from USCIS, it's time to apply for your green card.
Before You Immigrate
Whether you plan to come to the United States for a short visit or a permanent stay, your first step is to apply for a visa.
Coming to Work in the United States: The U.S. Department of Labor
Employers who want U.S. residency for foreign workers must get a labor certification.
How to Keep Your Green Card After You Get It
Follow these rules and you won't lose your status as a permanent resident of the U.S.
Learn the Language of the Immigration Bureaucracy
A glossary of terms you're likely to encounter during your immigration experience.
Nonimmigrant Visas
Nonimmigrant visas, such as tourist and student visas, permit you to enter the U.S. for a short time.
Obtaining Proof of U.S. Citizenship
If you have a right to U.S. citizenship, what's next?
Sponsoring a Family Member for a Green Card
Whether you can bring other family members to the U.S. depends on how the family member is related.
Sponsoring a Fiance or Spouse for a Green Card
Planning your immigration strategy is as important as planning your wedding.
U.S. Citizenship by Birth or Through Parents
You may already be a U.S. citizen and not know it.
What to Expect at the Border
Entering the U.S. may not be easy, even when you have a valid visa in hand. Here are some tips to smooth your passage.
When the U.S. Can Keep You Out
Learn why you may be denied entry to the United States and how to avoid being turned away.
When Visa or Green Card Holders Must Pay U.S. Taxes
If the U.S. government considers you a tax resident, you must file a U.S. tax return. Here's how to determine your status.
Who Is Eligible to Apply for U.S. Citizenship?
Find out who is eligible for U.S. citizenship and how to apply.
Who Qualifies for a Green Card
Categories of people who can apply for a green card, to make their home in the U.S.
Winning a Green Card Through the Visa Lottery
You may be eligible for one of the 50,000 green card lottery slots available each year.