How to Form Your Own California Corporation »

Anthony Mancuso is a corporations and limited liability company expert. He graduated from Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, is a member of the California State Bar, writes books and software in the fields of corporate and LLC law, and studies advanced business taxation at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. He has also been a consultant for Silicon Valley EDA (Electronic Design Automation) companies, most recently working on a C++ open-source integrated circuit database project team. He is the author of several Nolo books on forming and operating corporations (both profit and nonprofit) and limited liability companies. His titles include Incorporate Your Business, How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation (national and California editions), Form Your Own Limited Liability Company, The Corporate Records Handbook, and LLC or Corporation?. He wrote and programmed Nolo's LLC Maker and Incorporator Pro software programs, which generate state-by-state articles and other forms for organizing corporations and LLCs. His books and software have shown over a quarter of a million businesses and organizations how to form a corporation or LLC. He also is a licensed helicopter pilot and has performed for years as a guitarist in many musical idioms.

Ready to form a corporation in California? Incorporate with the book that's helped thousands of Californians!

As a business owner, you'll want to make sure every available penny goes into your business. So why spend big dollars on attorney fees when you can incorporate your own small business? How to Form Your Own California Corporation makes incorporating a straightforward task for any small business owner. You'll learn how to file articles of incorporation, set up a corporate records book, prepare bylaws, issue shares of stock and more!

How to Form Your Own California Corporation contains all the forms, instructions, tax rules, practical information and step-by-step instructions you need to incorporate a California business, both as tear-outs and on CD-ROM.

This edition is completely updated and revised to provide current regulations, tax requirements, contact information for relevant agencies, helpful resources and forms.

San Francisco Chronicle

An excellent book.

Introduction
1. Choosing the Right Legal Structure for Your Business
The Different Ways of Doing Business
Comparing Business Entities at a Glance
2. How California Corporations Work
Types of California Corporations
Corporate Powers
Corporate People
How Many People May Organize the Corporation?
Capitalization
Selling Stock
Paying Dividends
Dissolving a Corporation
Piercing the Corporate Veil
3. Issuing and Selling Stock
Securities Laws and Exemptions
The Limited Offering Exemption
Federal Securities Act
4. Corporate Taxation
California Taxes
Federal Taxes
S Corporation Tax Status
Corporate Accounting Periods and Tax Years
Tax Concerns When Stock Is Sold
Tax Treatment When an Existing Business Is Incorporated
Tax Treatment of Employee Compensation and Benefits
5. Steps to Form Your Corporation
Step 1. Choose a Corporate Name
Step 2. Prepare Your Articles of Incorporation
Step 3. Set Up a Corporate Records Book (Or Order a Corporate Kit)
Step 4. Prepare Your Bylaws
Step 5. Prepare Minutes of the First Meeting of the Board of Directors
Step 6. Prepare Shareholder Representation Letters
Step 7. Prepare and File Notice of Stock Transaction Form
Step 8. Issue Shares of Stock
6. After You Incorporate
Postincorporation Paperwork and Tasks
Tax Forms -- Federal
Tax Forms -- State
Licenses and Permits
Workers' Compensation Insurance
Private Insurance Coverage
7. Lawyers and Accountants
Lawyers
Accountants and Tax Advisors
Appendix A: How to Use the CD-ROM
Installing the Form Files Onto Your Computer
Using the Word Processing Files to Create Documents
UsingCalifornia Secretary of State Forms
Files Included on the Forms CD
Appendix B: Contact Information and Incorporation Forms
List of Forms
Index