3 Timely Colorado Business Formation Tips

There is a lot to think about when forming a new business, and some concerns need to be addressed right away or you may face problems down the road. Here are three time sensitive Colorado business formation tips and where to get help with them:

1. What form will your business take?
2. What taxes and licenses will your business be liable for?
3. Who will review the contracts your business enters into?

What Form Will Your Business Take?

By form, I mean the legal structure your business will take. Will you form a corporation? If so, which type of corporate status is right for your business? Should you form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) instead? The form your Colorado business will take has a major impact on your tax liabilities, how much risk you expose yourself to personally, and even who is (and is not) a business partner. This question is perhaps the most timely of all the questions you will ask yourself when forming a new business because of the consequences should you run into trouble without a properly, legally formed business.

Perhaps the most important time for you to consult a small business attorney will be when you select the form your Colorado business will take. An experienced business attorney has the background needed to explain the pros and cons of the various forms your business can take and how the form you choose will impact you, including how your choices will affect dissolving a partnership or selling the business down the road. The Colorado SBDC has excellent resources for explaining the legal structures you can choose from, but in the end, you will want the advice of an attorney when drawing up the actual documents that form your new business in Colorado.

What Taxes and Licenses Will Your Business be Liable For?

This list seems to be getting longer every year, but the fact is, taxes and licenses are very time sensitive. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you have overlooked a tax your business owes, missed a payment deadline, or failed to obtain a required license or permit. Each of these mistakes can mean penalties or fines, some of them substantial. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has a fantastic and thorough list of Colorado resources for researching taxes and licenses, and the Colorado Secretary of State has a new business checklist that covers insurance and regulatory issues. There is a lot to know, and it is easy to overlook a requirement even with all of the resources offered. Making sure you have taken care of all required taxes and licenses is another good reason to consult a Colorado small business lawyer.

Who Will Review The Contracts Your Business Enters Into?

Contracts provide you with legal protections – if they are well constructed. Some of the contracts your small business may enter into include:

• employment contracts
• vendor contracts
• purchase agreements
• commercial and equipment leases
• partnership agreements

Of all the frustrating legal entanglements I see small business owners struggle with, a poorly worded contract is typically the most expensive and demoralizing. Poorly worded contracts can make it difficult for you to end a relationship with a supplier, partner, or landlord, no matter the circumstances. An equipment lease that hasn’t been reviewed by your attorney can result in you owning equipment that doesn’t function properly but for which you are still required to pay every month. It is much less expensive to pay a small business attorney to look over a contract before you sign it than to engage one to help you get out of a bad contract.

There are other issues you will want to address as you think about your new Colorado small business, but these 3 timely Colorado business formation tips will help you right at the get go. If you need small business start-up advice, contact me, Elizabeth Lewis, at the Law Office of E.C. Lewis, P.C., home of your Denver Small Business Lawyer. Phone: 720-258-6647. Email: elizabeth.lewis@eclewis.com

Real Estate Services for Business Owners

Elizabeth Lewis provides the following real estate law services to small and medium sized business owners in Denver and throughout Colorado:

• Commercial real estate purchases
• Legal review of commercial real estate leases
• Protecting your assets