Help on legal stuff

Hello everybody, I been getting all my equipment together, recording my own songs and I feel I'll be ready to do some busines very soon (you know, record bands, or do demos) I just need to know what do I need legaly, to go into bussines? any permissions? do I need to register the studio? or what? I know this is not the topic of the forum but any help will be very appreciated. Thank you everybody

File a DBA and open a checking or savings account in that name. Whether people write checks to it or not, you can always transfer money into the account if they write the check to you. This can help establish the legitimacy of your business for IRS purposes. ------------------ LW

Wow Gentleman, I never expected so much help and I really appreciate all this. THANK YOU, Lucky, Lwilliam and Editor. I'm definitely following your advices, first step the DBA and then I'll go for the LLC, the only doubt I got now is if I should get a sole proprietorship LLC or a partnership LLC and if it's a partership, a "general or a limited" partnership? Thank you again gentleman. Your friend; HS.

By definition, an LLC is a Limited Liability Corporation, not a partnership. Since it's "limited", it's not a general partnership. That would be called (guess what)...a General Partnership. Technically, you have "members", not "partners" in an LLC. Partners exist in an LLP (Limited Liability Partnership). Sole Proprietorship and LLC or LLP are mutually exclusive. You can, however, have a single voting partner or a single voting member in an LLP/LLC. Unless things are drastically different in Nevada, you still have to have more than one person appointed to the "Board of Directors" of an LLC/LLP. This could easily be your significant other, however. Note that editor's advice sounds very intriguing (actually, a little compelling), and although a corporate entity has a "life" of it's own, it doesn't stop a ticked-off client from trying to sue you personally - instead of your business. Usually, the personal suit gets thrown out in court if it was a business issue that caused the suit. It can just be a royal pain in the... Even before I had my DBA, I was able to write off TONS of music equipment purchases and inventory because I was independent and not tied exclusively to a W2 employer. Talk to a tax accountant about how to set up your music income as an adjunct to your "day job" until you can quit it. The consultation will MORE than pay for itself in tax savings in the first year alone. ------------------ LW

I get it now, I followed Editor's suggestion to go to nolo's webpage and get more info plus the great great help you been giving me guys, now I understand where I'm standing on. Now just 2 more question if you don't mind; How do you deal with contracts and how can they help againts liability? and do you always sign contracts or agreements with your costumers? Gentleman THANK YOU for your help.

Editor; You have no idea how much your words of knowledge help me and all your good advices, I'd like to thank you, very much for all that help you provided me. I'm definitely getting all NOLO's "How to" books, even though this not my first language, they are is very easy to understand, from what I saw in the webpage. Lwilliam thank you to you too for all the help provided. Your friend; HS.