Should You Incorporate Your Business?

Doesn’t incorporation sound fancy? The word incorporation may conjure the idea of high-rise buildings, classy offices, and designer suits, but that is not what it is. Incorporation is not just for the big guys. 

Even an entrepreneur who has just started can incorporate their business. The decision to incorporate a business doesn’t depend on size. Instead, it depends on what you do and the long-term goals of your business. 

Incorporation, like any other business, has its advantages and disadvantages. As a business owner, it is a must that you understand what incorporation is? And how it helps your business.

What is incorporation?

Before deciding whether you should or should not incorporate your business, let us clearly understand what it means to incorporate your business? Incorporating a business means setting it up as its own identity that is as a corporation recognized by the states. You need to decide how many shares should a corporation authorize at incorporation, because what suits one business might not suit another.

Incorporation doesn’t mean registration where you inform your state of your existence. Incorporation of business gives you the right to operate legally. With incorporation, you create a legal entity for your business. When you incorporate your business, your business is separated from you and it becomes a legal entity.

Incorporation doesn’t change the way you are taxed. It is mainly because the legal entities that are recognized by the state differ from the legal entities identified by the federal government. it is confusing, right? 

Let us use an example and understand it clearly. A single-member LLC is categorized as legal by the state, while the IRS classifies the same as a disregarded entity. And in that case, you are taxed as an individual. 

What is the Incorporation Certificate?

The incorporation certificate is a document issued by a state or federal government that establishes the legal status of your business. This certificate is a document that is required in order to operate in most states and countries.

The Certificate is proof that the business is valid. So once registered, the business receives the incorporation certificate meaning that they are legally licensed to do business and that they are registered with the appropriate state. It confirms the name of the business, the business address, the registered agent for the business, the business's fiscal year, and information about the owners of the business.

An incorporation certificate also protects the company owners' personal liability for the corporation's debts.

Should you Incorporate it?

Now coming to our actual problem, the answer depends on various factors. You have to consider a lot of factors before you make a decision.

Legal protection

Your personal and business assets are the same when you are unincorporated. On the other hand as an incorporated business, if your business uses, you are protected from personal liabilities. Though there are some exceptions, the scenario remains the same in most cases. 

You won’t be liable for the debts in business unless you have signed a personal guarantee. The legal protections you require depend on the industry and the products and services your offer. For instance, the legal risk that a virtual assistant faces is much lower than a seller of food products.

Tax savings and federal

The rates of incorporation taxes in Canada are a bit lower compared to personal tax. This offers you an opportunity to save a bit on tax when operated through a corporation. A lot of factors play a huge role while thinking about tax benefits. When you operate as an incorporated business, you experience increased flexibility.

Advantages of incorporations

Let us take a look at some advantages of incorporating your business your small business

Easy access to capital: increasing capital becomes easier for a corporation compared to a private business. It is because as a corporation you can issue shares of your stock. This makes it easier for your business to grow and improve development. 

Also when you apply for a bank loan, the banks will readily offer loans to corporations than to an unincorporated business venture. As a corporation, you get access to more sources of capital.




Enhance your credibility: the benefits of incorporating your business is not reserved only to finance. Suppliers and customers believe corporations are more stable than incorporated businesses. Having Inc. or Corp. following your name is a reflection of various characteristics such as permanence, credibility, and stability. It also expresses commitment to the success of your ongoing business.

Perpetual existence: corporations are the highest legal business structure that continues to be indefinite. Corporations remain indefinite regardless of significant changes to the directors, managers, or shareholders.

You can avoid legal entanglement with other businesses by incorporating your business. it also offers anonymity to the owners. If you want to keep your involvement secret, incorporating the business is the best choice.

Disadvantages of incorporation

As you, the advantages of incorporation on one side, weighing the disadvantages becomes a must.

Cost of incorporation: incorporation doesn’t happen for free. it includes the cost of a lawyer, documents, and much more.

Ongoing costs: you are liable to pay an annual legal filing fee and a fee to an accountant to file the tax return

Administrative burden: to remain in good stead with the legal authorities, you require legal and tax filing every year which requires invaluable time and attention of the owner.

Less tax flexibility: in a corporation, you won’t have the same flexibility in managing losses as in a sole proprietorship or a partnership. The losses can reduce the income of the corporation from other years.

Bottom line

Taking the decision of incorporation alone becomes overwhelming. Hence discuss with a professional accountant and lawyer to know the nitty-gritty details of incorporation. They can give you a more precise picture of incorporation works and help you make a decision.

Why You Should Consider Buying a House After You Retire

For many, they believe that they should buy a home before they ever reach the age of retirement. However, this isn't always the best route to take. Rather, there are many reasons that you may want to wait until after you retire to buy your house.

You Know What You Want

As you age, you start to realize that there are things that you now want that you never would've thought about wanting 10 years ago. For this reason, it's a smart idea to wait until you retire to buy your home. 

You will have a good idea of what you actually want in a home and what you don't. You'll have years of experience under your belt that will help in your buying decision.

You Know Your Budget

A big part of buying a home is affording the expenses that come along with it. For most, this starts with the mortgage payment. However, you must consider insurance, taxes, and maintenance. While you can get an idea of what your budget is before you retire, you won't know for sure until you get there. 

This is why you shouldn't start looking for single family homes until you know exactly what your monthly budget will be. This way, you can ensure that your home payments stick within your necessary budget range.

You Know Where You Want to Live

Throughout your career, you and your spouse may have traveled to different cities. You may have just moved across town. Either way, you have gotten a feel for what area you feel most connected to. When you retire, you won't be tied down by the location of your job. You can purchase a home in any area that you enjoy being in.

You Can Save Up a Sizable Downpayment

Houses are expensive for everybody. If you decide to wait and purchase one after you retire, you give yourself adequate time to save up a good chunk of change. For some, this may be saving up money for a sizable downpayment. 

For others, their savings may be enough to purchase a new home straight out. Either way, waiting to purchase a home until retirement can give you adequate time to save up money for the buying process.

While most think of buying a home in their early adult years, that tide is changing. The reasons above are just some of the many that it makes sense to wait until after you retire. 

If you've been contemplating whether or not it's time for you to purchase a home, hopefully, we've given you some necessary insight into the matter.

How to Allocate Funds for School While Paying for Everyday Life

 
Are you planning to go back to school but do not know how you will pay for your program? The great news is that with an income, you can strategize and find ways you can save for your education, and at the same time, meet other basic needs. This review will teach you ways you can effectively budget your finances and study without accumulating debts.

Set Realistic Financial Goals

Having a realistic financial goal allows you the opportunity of creating a weekly, monthly, or annual budget. A budget gives you the motivation to save, which helps meet all your financial needs without struggling. 

Financial goals can be either long-term or short-term, and you should ensure that your goals are realistic. Some of the short-term financial goals when it comes to your education might include saving for your next semester’s books or pay outstanding student loans each month. 

A long-term financial plan might consist of clearing off your student loans within five or ten years.

Create a Budget

Once you have successfully set realistic financial goals, you should look into creating a budget. You can create this budget on a spreadsheet, or you can download a budgeting software program. 

Depending on your preferences, you can decide to make a monthly or annual budget. To create a budget, you should write down your monthly income and the source of the funds. This income can be from jobs, scholarships, grants, or money offered to you by friends or family. 

If you are working, the total income will be the money that is left after tax deductions. Remember, when you create a budget, you should be honest with yourself to understand your expenses.

Apply for Medical Assistant Programs

If you are interested in medicine, you can apply for your local college’s preferred medical assistant programs. These colleges also offer scholarships, grants, or student loans, which you can use to pay for your course. Some of the things you will learn from this program include Pharmacology, Anatomy Room Procedures, Treatment Room Procedures, and Laboratory Techniques.

These courses will only take a maximum of 16 months, and you can quickly land employment after graduation. Due to guaranteed work, you can pay your student loans on time.

Purchase Your Textbooks off Campus

Most colleges will not include the cost of textbooks in the tuition fees, and you will have to purchase your books. However, it would be wise to buy these books off-campus because most schools will increase books’ prices to generate school profits. Also, you can choose to rent textbooks at certain stores instead of purchasing them.

It would be best if you never let the expenses that come with college expenses hinder you from pursuing the curse of your dreams. If you follow the advice mentioned above, you can successfully plan and save for your education and manage other personal expenses.

Looking Into Investment? Here are 4 Great Avenues You Might Not Have Considered

If you're interested in the investment world, you're certainly already aware of stocks and bonds as investment assets. There are, however, many other types of assets you may not have thought about yet. 

These non-traditional investments can help to diversify your portfolio and improve your overall returns. Here are four great investments you might not have thought about adding to your portfolio.

Shipping Containers

Believe it or not, many of the shipping containers that are used to transport goods around the world aren't owned by transportation companies. 

These companies instead lease them from owners, often at very generous rates. Owning and renting out shipping containers can be a great way to put your money to work, especially since they are always in demand.

Peer-to-Peer Loans

If you don't mind a higher-risk investment, peer-to-peer lending may be a good addition to your portfolio. This is a type of lending in which individuals lend money to other individuals, then collect a return on their investment in the form of interest paid on the loan. 

Interest rates on these loans vary by the creditworthiness of the borrower, but they can often range well above 10 percent. There is, however, a risk that the borrower will default. As a result, peer-to-peer loans are usually best reserved for investors with somewhat higher risk tolerance.

Wines and Spirits

Over the last several years, the collector demand for wines and spirits has gone up tremendously. Prices on limited-edition whiskies, hard-to-find wines, and other beverages have also soared, producing outsized returns for the few investors specializing in this market. 

Although it can be a tricky and volatile market to navigate, there's definitely money to be made by buying and holding certain types of alcoholic beverages.

Campgrounds

Although you may never have thought of a campground as an investment before, owning one can produce generous cash flows over time. 

To get into this market, you'll need to find a campground or RV park broker who can help you find the right piece of property. Once you acquire the property, you can begin earning a relatively passive income as campers rent out parts of it.

Even though they're far removed from the traditional stock and bond markets, these four non-traditional investments can help you realize your financial goals and build up your portfolio. 

Be sure to thoroughly research any investment before putting your money into it to ensure that you have a complete picture of the risks and rewards of your chosen asset.

How The Stock Market Can Put Extra Cash in Your Pocket

 

The best way to make money in the stock market is to invest for the long term. With the right investments, your money will grow over time. 

The dividends you earn as stocks payout can be reinvested, and the value of the stocks you originally bought will grow over time as well. Best of all, with the right investments, you can lower your tax burden with the right investment vehicle.

Buy and Hold--Mostly

If you're putting money away for retirement, you're inherently a buy and hold investor. This is a good thing because that's the best way to grow your cash over time.

That being said, you want to make sure that your investments are given time to grow. If you have a private investment account that isn't in a retirement vehicle, you can sell a stock, buy new stock, and pull out dividends as you wish. Pulling out your dividends will increase your taxable income now and can limit the dollars you have to invest.

However, if you want to work in a market that can actually pay out in real-time, the world of Forex may appeal. You will need to do your due diligence as trading currencies on the foreign exchange market actually moves quickly and will take serious skills. 

If you're ready to move into a career that you can do anywhere and completely online, consider taking an online Forex trading course to prepare.

Retirement Dollars or Money Now?

If you want to be able to increase your current cash flow, set up a private stock trading account. There are many apps that you can use to easily buy stocks individually or invest in index funds or exchange-traded funds.




For those who have little knowledge of the stock market, it's a good idea to look at the various index funds that track the different indexes that measure the market. The Dow Jones is an index, as is the S&P. 

There are index funds in gas and oil, construction, and different forms of manufacturing. Chasing after different companies to put your money into can be riskier. Index growth may be slow, but it's also less volatile than individual company stock picks.

Double Up on Retirement Investments

If you're looking to invest for your retirement, start with your employer and load up whatever retirement account they offer, at least until you've met the match. For those interested in the more volatile markets and stock picks, the employer match can be fun to play with.

Consider doubling up on your retirement investments if you have the cash flow. For example, you can set up a traditional IRA and get the tax break now, or you can set up a Roth IRA and enjoy the tax break later. 

If you're married and one partner is home with children or working part-time, you can set up a retirement account on behalf of the non-earning spouse. There are actually a lot of options to put away money now so you'll have it later. Talk to a financial advisor about your investment vehicle options.

Look Long Term

Again, it's critically important that you look at stocks in the long term view. One of the most expensive things you can do as an investor is to panic, particularly if you're putting away money for retirement. If you know that you will need cash soon, put it in savings rather than the market. Your best stock payout bet is to let the money sit for five years.




However, if you're planning a large investment, such as a down payment for a house, be aware that there are many options for borrowing against your retirement for just such a purpose. 

The interest rates are low and you pay them to yourself over time. Carefully review the terms and payment amounts for any retirement loan to make sure you won't limit your take-home pay too much.

No matter what happens, do your absolute best to avoid pulling cash out of a retirement account unless you're in dire financial straits. First of all, there will be a penalty of up to 10% off the top. Secondly, you will have to pay income tax on it at whatever rate of pay you're currently making. 

Part of the beauty of most retirement savings is that these accounts invest pre-tax income and you pay taxes on it after your working days are done. Taking it out early can be a real financial double-whammy.

If you need extra cash right now, consider getting a second job or building a side hustle. However, cash over the long term is easy to build with buy and hold investments in the stock market.

Medical Issues You'll Need Health Insurance Coverage for as You Age

 

As you age, the reality of biology indicates that you are at greater risk of developing certain medical conditions. Unfortunately, in addition to challenging your health, age-related medical conditions can also be a significant financial burden to those who develop them and their families.

Medicare covers many routine healthcare procedures for seniors, but not all of them. This article will discuss some of the most common age-related medical issues that you will need health insurance coverage in case you or a loved one ever experiences them.

Dental Issues

Unfortunately, anything involving work to your teeth is unlikely to be covered by Medicare. According to the Medicare website, the government service does not cover dental procedures or supplies. 

This even includes the most basic procedures like your annual teeth cleaning. That means that you are on your own when it comes to paying for the care that your teeth require, so you’ll want to look at having good dental insurance.

Cancer

Millions of Americans develop cancer each year. Most people know at least one person, perhaps even in their own family, that has had one form of cancer or another. Unfortunately, old age is one of the most common risk factors for developing cancer.




Treating cancer is extremely expensive. Cancer insurance coverage can cover any medical expenses that result from cancer diagnosis and treatment. By looking online, you can find instant insurance cost calculators to help you get a cancer insurance quote.

Hearing Problems

Hearing loss is common as people age. Once again, hearing-related healthcare is not covered by Medicare or most private providers.

If you require a hearing aid or other medical devices to maintain your ability to function independently, then you might want to consider hearing aid insurance. With a small monthly premium, you can make sure that you will have access to hearing devices when you need them without breaking the bank.

Mobility Issues

Seniors are often at risk of losing their mobility. Luckily, certain pieces of medical equipment, personalized therapies, and other medical interventions can help a senior maintain their independence and remain in their own home.

However, the price tag attached to scooters, stairlifts, and other mobility boosters can be high. Supplemental healthcare insurance agreements often include provisions for these much-needed medical supplies.

530,000 Americans go bankrupt each year due to unpaid medical bills. If you have no health insurance at all, even a single hour-long visit to the local emergency room could be enough to sink your finances. Plan ahead with health insurance coverage.