Income Taxes for Your Business Type (2024)

Below, we’ve provided brief definitions for different kinds of business. Each definition has a link that discusses filing requirements, business tips and publications to help you with income tax preparation.

  • Sole Proprietorship
  • General Partnerships and Limited Partnerships
  • Corporation
  • S Corporation
  • Limited Liability Company and Limited Liability Partnership

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business that is owned by one person. It is the simplest form of business organization to start and maintain. The business has no existence apart from you, the owner. Its liabilities are your personal liabilities, and you undertake the risks of the business for all assets owned, whether used in the business or personally owned. You include the income expenses of the business on your own tax return.

Get more information and filing requirements for sole proprietorships.

General Partnerships and Limited Partnerships

A partnership is the relationship existing between two or more persons who join to carry on a trade or business. Each person contributes money, property, labor or skill and expects to share in the profits and losses of the business.

A partnership is not taxable on the income of the entity. Each partner includes his or her share of the partnership's income or loss on his or her tax return.

Get more information and filing requirements for general partnerships and limited partnerships.

Corporation

In forming a corporation, prospective shareholders transfer money, property, or both for the corporation's capital stock. A corporation generally takes the same deductions as a sole proprietorship to figure its taxable income. A corporation can also take special deductions.

The profit of a corporation is taxed to both the corporation and to the shareholders when the profit is distributed as dividends. However, shareholders cannot deduct any loss of the corporation.

Get more information about filing requirements for C Corporations.

S Corporation

An S corporation is a hybrid business entity. It has a separate legal existence and generally offers liability protection to its owners (shareholders). It pays California tax on its net income and also is a conduit where the profit or loss flows through to the shareholders. The corporation must elect to be treated as an S corporation. There can be no more than 75 shareholders and only one class of stock. Shareholders can only be individuals, estates or certain trusts. S corporations can own subsidiaries.

The income of an S corporation is generally not subject to federal income tax. Its shareholders include on their tax returns their share of the corporation's separately stated items of income, deduction, loss, credit, and their share of non-separately stated income or loss.

Get more information about filing requirements for S Corporations.

Limited Liability Company and Limited Liability Partnership

An LLC may be a sole proprietorship, corporation, or a partnership. (A minimum of 2 members is required for federal purposes to operate an LLC as a partnership.) Consequently, the applicable tax forms, estimated tax payment requirements and related tax publications are dependent upon whether the LLC operates as a sole proprietorship, corporation, or a partnership.

Get filing requirements and more information for limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships.

Go to Doing Business in California

Income Taxes for Your Business Type (2024)

FAQs

What type of business is best for taxes? ›

An S corporation, sometimes called an S corp, is a special type of corporation that's designed to avoid the double taxation drawback of regular C corps. S corps allow profits, and some losses, to be passed through directly to owners' personal income without ever being subject to corporate tax rates.

Which type of business pays income taxes on what it earns? ›

Businesses in U.S. broadly fall into two categories: C corporations, which pay the corporate income tax, and passthroughs—such as partnerships, S corporations, LLCs, and sole proprietorships—which “pass” their income “through” to their owner's income tax returns and pay the individual income tax.

What is your business type? ›

Typically, there are four main types of businesses: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLC), and Corporations. Before creating a business, entrepreneurs should carefully consider which type of business structure is best suited to their enterprise.

What are the 3 main types of income taxes? ›

progressive tax—A tax that takes a larger percentage of income from high-income groups than from low-income groups. proportional tax—A tax that takes the same percentage of income from all income groups. regressive tax—A tax that takes a larger percentage of income from low-income groups than from high-income groups.

What is taxable income for a small business? ›

Simply put, a company is taxed on the profit it makes after all allowable deductions are subtracted from its revenues. You can think of it like a formula: Revenues – Deductions = Taxable Income.

How to choose tax classification for LLC? ›

The owners of the LLC should make the appropriate decision for the tax classification of the LLC based on the tax benefits and savings that the business may be able to enjoy. While filing changes for LLC tax status to a C- or an S-corporation, it's best to consult a tax professional for assistance and advice.

Is an LLC or sole proprietorship better for taxes? ›

Generally, you won't pay less in taxes as an LLC than a sole proprietor. However, you do have more tax flexibility with an LLC because you can select how you will be taxed.

What is the best tax option for an LLC? ›

File as an S corporation

LLCs have the option of filing as an S corp., the main benefit of which is it provides a mechanism for reducing self-employment taxes. Under an S corp structure, the owner of an LLC can be considered an employee and receive a salary.

How do I pay taxes if I own my own business? ›

To file your annual income tax return, you will need to use Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship), to report any income or loss from a business you operated or profession you practiced as a sole proprietor, or gig work performed.

How much income can a small business make without paying taxes? ›

You must file a return if you earn $400 or more in net earnings from your business. Net earnings equal taxable business income minus allowable business deductions.

Will I get a tax refund if my business loses money? ›

If you open a company in the US, you'll have to pay business taxes. Getting a refund is possible if your business loses money. However, if your business has what is classified as an extraordinary loss, you could even get a refund for all or part of your tax liabilities from the previous year.

How do I classify my business type? ›

The most common forms of business are the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and S corporation. A limited liability company (LLC) is a business structure allowed by state statute. Legal and tax considerations enter into selecting a business structure.

What is my business category? ›

What Are Google My Business Categories? Google My Business categories help your profile show for relevant searches in Google Maps and Local 3-Pack and help potential customers find local businesses when performing localized searches.

How to tell company type? ›

Tax Returns: Business tax returns can also indicate the business structure, as different forms are used for different types of entities (for example, Form 1120 for corporations, Schedule C for sole proprietorships, etc.).

What are the 4 basic types of business? ›

The most common forms of business are the sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and S corporation. A limited liability company (LLC) is a business structure allowed by state statute. Legal and tax considerations enter into selecting a business structure.

What are the 4 tax systems? ›

State Taxes

Approximately 85 percent of the state's own-source revenue comes from four sources: the personal income tax (PIT), the sales and use tax (SUT), the corporation tax (CT), and major motor vehicle-related levies.

What are the 4 direct taxes? ›

Direct taxes are levied on individuals and companies by the country's supreme tax body. Direct taxes are directly paid by those on whom it is imposed. For instance, taxpayers directly pay income tax, property tax, tax on assets and gifts to the government.

What are the 3 classifications of taxes? ›

Proportional, progressive, and regressive taxes.

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