Incorporation in California

Find the right Business Incorporation attorney in Downey, CA

California law allows a business to incorporate and be recognized as its own legal entity. After incorporation, buying and selling property, assenting to contracts and exercising legal rights are considered acts of the business itself and not its owners. In California, the process of incorporation is begun by filing with the Secretary of State in accordance with specific guidelines.

Benefits of Incorporation in California

There are distinct benefits to incorporating a business. Most importantly, liabilities the business accrues may be satisfied only by assets that the owners have specifically invested in it. Had the business instead remained a collection of the owners' personal assets, the personal property of the stakeholders could be liquidated to pay the liabilities of the business, if it runs into financial problems. Also, creditors in the Downey area generally prefer to deal with corporations, since a loan is an investment more easily evaluated when the credit-worthiness of various owners is not an issue. Lastly, a corporations charter requires that ownership be divided into stakes or "shares" of stock, all of equal size. This makes the process of transferring control much more practical.

Costs of Incorporation

There are costs associated with incorporation, both short and long term. First, businesses in California may be charged a fee to incorporate. Also, a corporation is taxed as its own entity. Disbursements to the owners of the corporation are also taxed as individual income, so this means earnings may be taxed twice. But this double taxation can be avoided with proper planning and help from a local Downey lawyer.

Talk to a Business Law Attorney now!

Life in Downey

Downey, California is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Its current population of about 112,000 people.

Downey, California is best known as being the birthplace of the Apollo Program - the U.S. space program that ultimately landed men on the moon. Several aerospace corporations had facilities in Downey, California, such as Rockwell and Boeing. Some of these companies built the Apollo spacecraft and, later, many components of the Space Shuttle. These companies also employed many white-collar professionals, from engineers to Downey, California lawyers.

Nowadays, the economy of Downey, California is dominated by sectors such as healthcare, education, services, and government.

Thanks to its diverse and solid economy, the lawyers who live and work in Downey, California are able to handle a wide range of legal issues. If you need legal advice, a Downey, California attorney can help.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Howard B.
Howard B.

Business - Litigation

Rye Brook, NY

Mark B.
Mark B.

Business - Litigation

Roseland, NJ

David A.
David A.

Business - Litigation

Walnut Creek, CA