J.K. Lasser's Small Business Taxes 2013: Your Complete Guide to a Better Bottom Line

Sole Proprietorships

If you go into business for yourself and do not have any partners (with the exception of a spouse, as explained shortly), you are considered a sole proprietor and your business is called a sole proprietorship. You may think that the term proprietor connotes a storekeeper. For purposes of tax treatment, proprietor means any unincorporated business owned entirely by 1 person. Thus, the category includes individuals in professional practice, such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, and architects. Those who are experts in an area, such as engineering, public relations, or computers, may set up their own consulting businesses and fall under the category of sole proprietor. The designation also applies to independent contractors.

Sole proprietorships are the most common form of business. The IRS reports that 1 in 7 Form 1040s contains a Schedule C or C-EZ (the forms used by sole proprietorships). Most sideline businesses are run as sole proprietorships, and many start-ups commence in this business form.

There are no formalities required to become a sole proprietor; you simply conduct business. You may have to register your business with your city, town, or county government by filing a simple form stating that you are doing business as the “Quality Dry Cleaners” or some other business name other than your own. This is sometimes referred to as a DBA.

From a legal standpoint, as a sole proprietor, you are personally liable for any debts your business incurs. For example, ...