Under Texas law, a business may incorporate. If it chooses to do so, it is thereafter recognized as its own legal entity. An incorporated business acts in its own name, whether buying and selling property, assenting to contracts or exercising legal rights. To incorporate in Texas, a business must file with the Secretary of State in compliance with certain guidelines.

Benefits of Incorporation in Texas

Certain benefits inure to a business in Texas that has incorporated over one that has not. First, a corporation's liabilities can never go beyond the amount invested in the business by the owners. With unincorporated businesses, personal property of owners can be liquidated in order to satisfy the liabilities of the business. A corporation may also find it easier to finance itself through loans, allowing creditors in the Friendswood area to evaluate their investment by assessing the corporation rather than the individual credit-worthiness of its owners. 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

Along with a possible fee to file for incorporation in Texas, there are other costs that corporations incur. The most important is that a corporation is taxed as its own 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 Friendswood lawyer.