Experienced Attorneys Help Entrepreneurs Start New Businesses Throughout North Carolina
Preeminent legal team offers sound advice for startups
Starting your own business can be exciting and rewarding. However, every prospective business owner faces numerous challenges. At Howard, Stallings, From, Atkins, Angell & Davis, P.A. we provide the knowledge, guidance, and tools to help launch your business successfully. Our lawyers have served clients in North Carolina for more than 30 years. We are ready to represent you with competence, passion, and professionalism.
Advanced planning: How do you prepare to start a business?
To build a business around a product or service, you should first develop a business plan. A business plan explains when, where, and how you intend to operate to produce a profit. A sound business plan is essential if you hope to attract investors and secure lines of credit. But even if you’ve already arranged the financing, your business plan helps your attorney understand your goals and objectives. Your attorney can help you identify the most appropriate business entity, based on ownership structure, tax consequences, and liability issues.
Registering a business name
Once you know your business’s structure, you can register, securing the rights to the business name. If your business is a sole proprietorship or a partnership, you must file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the registrar of deeds in the county in which you plan to operate. If you form a corporation, such as an LLC, an S-Corp, or a C-Corp, you must register with the North Carolina Secretary of State Corporations Division.
Obtaining a business license
Your business usually must be licensed in the area where you operate. Unfortunately, for many businesses in North Carolina, a single license is rarely sufficient. Depending upon your industry and location, you may need several licenses and permits to operate. Before you commit many resources to a particular location, you should consult an experienced attorney to ascertain the feasibility of acquiring the necessary permits.
Business tax planning in North Carolina
No one should open a business without fully understanding the impact of federal, state, and local taxation on its operations. Businesses that provide goods and services to consumers may be subject to state and municipal sales tax. If you have employees, you need to withhold FICA assessments and submit them as specified by federal law.
Do you need a lawyer to open a business in North Carolina?
No law requires you to hire a lawyer. However, retaining a business law attorney from the start can greatly reduce future conflicts. At Howard, Stallings, From, Atkins, Angell & Davis, P.A. we provide high-quality counsel to businesses of all sizes. We explain the laws clearly, and in the event of a dispute that threatens your business operations or profitability, we move swiftly to find a cost-effective resolution.
Let our attorneys help your business grow in Raleigh, New Bern, or Morehead City
For more than three decades, businesses in North Carolina have trusted Howard Stallings. If you intend to start a company in North Carolina, let our highly skilled legal team provide you with reliable, competent counsel. To arrange a consultation to speak with a lawyer at our firm, call 919-821-7700 or contact us online.
