Types of Business Formations

A sole proprietorship is the simplest and least expensive type of business to form. There are no incorporation documents to file or business notices to run in the newspaper. You may have to get a state or local business license depending on your occupation. A sole proprietorship has only one owner. You can do business under your own name or apply for a “doing-business-as” name to give your business a distinctive name, but the business and the proprietor remain one entity. You have no protection from lawsuits or creditor claims. Your personal assets can be used to satisfy a business debt or legal judgment. You report your business income and expenses to the Internal Revenue Service on Schedule C, which is filed with your individual income tax return.