One of the first steps you must do when starting a business in California is to choose the sort of business entity you want to form. Starting a business in California involves a lot of paperwork and legal procedures. Small firms frequently choose a S Corporation (S Corp) because of its tax advantages and limited liability protection. But how much does it cost in California to register a S Corp?
An S Corp must pay $100 for the Articles of Incorporation and an extra $85 for the Statement of Information in order to register in California. The California Secretary of State’s sole mandatory filing fees are these ones. But you can also be required to pay other charges like franchise tax, company licenses, and permits.
Whether they must pay the $800 California S Corp fee the first year is a typical query among business owners. Yes, you must pay the $800 annual franchise tax levy for the first year regardless of when you incorporate your S Corp during the year. By the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the filing of your articles of incorporation, this fee must be paid.
S Corps must thus pay taxes in California. S Corporations are not subject to federal income tax, but they are to California’s corporate income tax, which is presently 8.84%. Additionally, S Corps must pay the California Franchise Tax Board an annual franchise tax levy of $800.
It’s crucial to take into account the differences in tax treatment and amount of liability protection when choosing between an LLC and a S Corp. An LLC gives tax flexibility because it can elect to be taxed as a S Corporation, C Corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. An S Corp, on the other hand, provides additional tax advantages, such as the opportunity to carry through business losses to the owner’s personal tax return and the avoidance of self-employment taxes on the owner’s compensation.
S Corps can escape the double taxation that C Corps must pay, making them a better financial choice for high-income firms. However, because they need less paperwork and have fewer tax reporting obligations, LLCs might be a better choice for companies with lesser incomes and fewer employees.
In conclusion, California has comparatively low S Corp filing fees in comparison to other states, but business owners need also take additional costs and taxes into account. Due to the tax advantages and liability protection, S Corps are a common choice for small enterprises, but depending on the business’s income and size, LLCs may be a superior alternative. To choose the proper company entity for their unique needs, business owners should speak with a tax expert and an attorney.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will accept an LLC’s election to be taxed in California as a S corporation upon receipt of Form 2553 from the LLC. The LLC must, however, abide by a number of prerequisites in order to be eligible, including issuing just one class of stock and having no more than 100 shareholders who are citizens or residents of the United States. The LLC also needs to be legitimately established and registered with the California Secretary of State.