Incorporation in New York

Find the right Business Incorporation attorney in Buffalo, NY

For businesses seeking recognition as separate legal entities, New York law allows them to undergo the process of incorporation. When an incorporated business acts, whether it is to buy and sell property, assent to contracts or exercise legal rights, the process is then attributable to the business itself and not its owners. In New York, the process of incorporation is begun by filing with the Secretary of State in accordance with certain guidelines.

Benefits of Incorporation in New York

Advantages of incorporation are many. The primary benefit is that the liabilities of the business can only be satisfied by the assets specifically invested into the company by the owners. Had the business remained unincorporated, owners risk losing their personal property should the business become unable to fulfill its liabilities. Furthermore, a business that has not incorporated puts the unnecessary burden on creditors in the Buffalo area to evaluate the credit worthiness of individual owners rather than that of the business, making loans more cumbersome. Lastly, 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

These advantages come at a price. First, incorporation in New York may require a filing fee. Second, a corporation pays taxes just like any other entity. The individual incomes of owners who are paid disbursements from the corporation's earnings are still taxed as well. This is called double taxation, but it can be avoided with proper planning and assistance from a local Buffalo lawyer.

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Life in Buffalo

Buffalo has lots of nicknames like "the city of good neighbors," "the nickel city," and "the queen city" but the slogan that's best is "city of light." Buffalo, as the second most populous municipality in the State of New York, is just that. Buffalo is a waterfront city standing at the edge of where the Buffalo River, Niagara River, and Lake Eerie intercept. That means there are many tourists who come to Buffalo to see the Niagara Falls that are just 15 minutes away from downtown. Downtown Buffalo is a center of banking with major operations for First Niagara Bank, MT Bank, HSBC Bank USA, Bank of America, and KeyBank. Rich Products is one of the world's largest family owned food manufacturers and has their corporate headquarters in Buffalo.

Buffalo's economy is largely reliant on health care and education that have had continuous success in the face of the recession. The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the University of Buffalo are largely to credit. Both institutions vastly expanded in the past few years offering more jobs and opportunities to Buffalo residents. Forbes Magazine rated Buffalo as the 10th best place to live in the United States in 2010. The Buffalo City Hall is a world renown building for its design by Art Deco. There are also a number of parks that are well kept in Buffalo. None compare to the Buffalo and Eerie County Botanical Gardens drawing visitors from far and wide.

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