In Illinois, businesses are allowed to incorporate, thereby becoming their own legal entities. This means that the business can buy or sell property, offer and accept contracts and exercise legal rights in its own name. The Illinois Secretary of State receives and processes applications for incorporation, which must be submitted in compliance with local guidelines.

Benefits of Incorporation in Illinois

There are distinct advantages to incorporating a business. Most importantly, liabilities the business accrues may be satisfied only by assets that the owners have specifically invested in it. Without incorporation, the personal property of business owners is at stake should the company become unable to fulfill its debts. Furthermore, a business that has not incorporated puts the unnecessary burden on creditors in the Monee area to evaluate the credit worthiness of individual owners rather than that of the business, making loans more difficult. Finally, the ownership stake in a corporation can be apportioned into uniform slices, known as "shares" of stock. This makes it possible to sell ownership investments in more manageable slices.

Costs of Incorporation

Incorporation comes at a price. First, Illinois might charge a filing fee to process applications for incorporation. Also, the corporation will pay taxes as its own entity. The individual incomes of the owners are still taxed also, and this can mean the same income is taxed twice, known as double taxation. With proper planning and assistance from a local Monee lawyer, you can avoid this disadvantage.