How Do I Sell My Small Business?

            You own a small business. It may have been a good experience or a headache but for whatever reason, you've decided to sell it. You've never done this before and aren't sure what's involved.

            The first thing is to carefully analyze your business from every angle. Get all of your business documents organized. These could include financial records, profit and loss statements, accounts receivables, tax returns, transferable leases, contracts and agreements, pending orders, furniture and equipment lists, warranties, covenants not to compete, and consulting or management agreements, among many other possible things particular to your business. If the business operates as an LLC, make sure you have your articles of organization and any operating agreement available. If the business operates as a corporation, make sure all of your governing documents are in one place and up to date.

            Before you attempt to sell your small business you want to have a clear handle on what you are selling and be able to present it accurately and to your best advantage. Doing the above organization will help you ensure that you have covered each aspect of your business.

            Early on, you will need to decide whether you will be selling the assets of the business or whether you will be selling the ownership interests (LLC interests or corporation stock). You should consult with a tax professional at this point because the type of sale can affect your tax situation. This can be tricky. Since there are tax ramifications in the sale of a business, you not only want to be sure that you sell your business for the right price, you also want to know what, if any, tax liability you will have after the sale closes.

            Next you want to be sure that you have accurately valued your business and/or the assets of the business. You will likely need to hire a business appraiser. Often a broker is hired to help in this process. A broker will be able to develop a marketing plan and sales strategy.  You will want to be sure you have research supporting the value of your business and your sales price, with supporting information tailored to your type of business and location. 

            It is likely that the sale of your business will be more complicated than you think. You should have a purchase agreement or letter of intent for the proposed purchaser. With this is hand, you know you have a prospective buyer but you are not done yet. You need to do your "due diligence,' meaning to check the finances and representations of the prospective buyer to see if you wish to move forward with this buyer. If not, the whole process starts again.

            Once you have found a buyer that meets your criteria, you will want to have a detailed contract for the sale of your business drawn up. This is a critical document with all the important terms and details of sale. Therefore, it is very important that it is accurate, complete, and covers all areas. Not doing so can invite costly litigation or disputes after the closing. It's wise to have an attorney draft the contract. You'll want an attorney you are comfortable dealing with to do this, and one who understands your business and objectives in the sale.

            If you sell the ownership of the LLC or corporation, after the sale the entity will continue under new ownership and you, as the former owner, can enjoy the fruits of your years of labor. If, however, you sold only the underlying asset of the business, then after the sale of assets you will continue to own the entity. A knowledgeable business attorney can also help you file necessary legal documents to dissolve your business. For example, if you own a corporation, it you may need to file articles of dissolution. This is an important step to ensure that there is no lingering liability or obligation for you as owner.

           

            

WHAT IS AN S CORPORATION?

             Exactly what is an S corporation and what types of businesses may be interested in being an S Corp?  First, it is very important to understand that an S Corp is a FEDERAL TAX STATUS of a corporation and not a type of entity. What does this mean? This means that when you form a corporation in Maryland (or any other state), you do not form an S Corp per se. In Maryland, you will form a regular corporation and then file an S Corp election with the IRS. (The Articles of Incorporation and/or the Organizational Meeting minutes will state that the corporation's owners will elect S Corp status.)

             So, why would my corporation choose to be an S Corp? Under IRS regulations, because a corporation is a separate legal entity, it must usually file a tax return and pay taxes on its taxable income. However, the IRS regulations allow certain small businesses to be treated for tax purposes as if they were being run by the owners themselves without a separate entity. Under Subchapter S of the IRS regulations (this subchapter is where the name "S Corp" comes from), a corporation can elect to have the IRS disregard the corporation as a separate taxable entity and allow the taxable income or losses of the business to be reported on ("flow to" or "pass through" to) the owner of the business in proportion to their ownership shares. This prevents "double taxation" of corporate income because the income is taxed only at the owner level rather than at the corporate level as income and then again at the owner level as dividends.

            Aside from the avoidance of double taxation, an S corporation offers flexibility regarding

how earnings are paid to its owners, whether they are paid as salaries (subject to FICA and other taxes) or as distributions, not subject to these taxes. An S corporation must file a tax return but the

shareholders, not the S corporation,  pay taxes on profits on their individual tax returns. 

            The I.R.S. has very specific criteria that must be met before an S corporation election is

approved. To be eligible a corporation must:

            1. timely file Federal Form 2553;

            2. have no more than 100 shareholders, who meet the specified I.R.S. definition of "shareholder;"

            3.  have no nonresident alien shareholders; and

            4.  have only one class of stock.

            5.  and not be an "ineligible corporation" under the I.R.S. Code.

            The following links provide more information on the required form and criteria in order

to be a qualified S corporation: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2553.pdf.

https://www.irs.gov/uac/Form-2553,-Election-by-a-Small-Business-Corporation.

            Before attempting to file these forms, however, you first must incorporate in

Maryland and file the required documents with Maryland's State Department of Assessment

and Taxation ("SDAT"),  found at http://dat.maryland.gov/businesses/Pages/Maryland-Checklist-for-New-Businesses.aspx.  Maryland requires that any corporation provide the following information: name of corporation, purpose for which the corporation is formed, the addresses of the principal place of business and resident agent, the issuance of stock shares and the par value, the number of directors pursuant to the bylaws (which  can be increased or decreased), and the name of the directors and successors who shall act until the first meeting or until their successors are chosen.

            Once the corporation is filed, the next step is to file an I.R.S. Form 2553 to elect S

corporation status.  After both of these steps, if all criteria has been met, an S corporation is

valid.

            Once the S corporation is formed there are legal requirements going forward. The most important requirements relate to the number of shareholders and the type of person or entity that can be a shareholder. S Corps are also limited to certain classes of stock they can issue. For this and other reasons, many tech startups planning to look to venture capital investment should not elect S Corp status. 

  

            Since there are many considerations in evaluating what type of business entity is best for

your  business, and once you decide that, how to go about meeting the requirements for both

setting up and then maintaining your business, an attorney can be one of you most valuable assets.

DO YOU WANT TO FORM A MARYLAND SMALL BUSINESS?

            Are you considering starting a small business in Maryland? If so, it is important that you select the right type of entity and comply with Maryland requirements. A Maryland business attorney and accountant can be helpful in guiding you through the necessary steps. As a broad overview, take note of the following tips.

            1. What type of entity should my business be?  This depends on many factors.

Maryland recognizes the following business entities: sole proprietorship, general partnership,

corporation and limited liability corporation. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do

not require the formation of an entity. Instead, Maryland simply requires registering such

businesses with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and paying personal property

assessments.  In contrast, corporations and limited liability corporations must be properly

registered business entities with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Regardless

of the type of entity, certain businesses in Maryland also require a business license.

            2. Do I need a Business Name? The name of your business can be critical.  You want a

name that suits your business and can be used effectively in marketing. However, for a

corporation, you must ensure that the name you select is available in Maryland and then file

required forms with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.  If you have a trade

name or trademark, you should also considering registering them. Trade names can be registered

with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. Trademarks can be registered with

the U.S. Trademark Office. An experienced Maryland business attorney can assist with this.

            3. How are taxes paid? All businesses must pay Federal and Maryland taxes. New

businesses should obtain an "EIN," or taxpayer information number from the IRS. This is needed

for withholding and tax payments. Your new business should also obtain a Maryland Combined

Registration Number from the Maryland DLLR if the business will have employees.

            4.  Are there zoning considerations? Where you locate your business is

another key consideration. You must comply with local zoning laws to be sure that your business

can be located in the area you select. If you plan to run your business from home, you must be

sure that there are no zoning restrictions for home-based business.

            5. Do the founders need an agreement in writing?  Absolutely yes! If there is more than one founder, you must have an agreement - called an operating agreement for an LLC and a shareholders' agreement for a corporation. This is something that many founders forego, but not having a well drafted agreement can cost many headaches, a lot of money and even spur lawsuits later on. 

            These are some initial things to consider when planning a new business.  This list, however, is not exhaustive. There are many considerations. Selecting the right entity and carefully following Maryland's requirements can make a big difference and get your business off to a strong start.

Katherine Taylor is an experienced Maryland small business attorney who has drafted hundreds of operating and shareholder agreements. Go to www.taylorlegal.com for more information.