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A Sole Proprietor is one individual who owns a company that is not incorporated or registered with the state as a limited liability company (LLC) or Corporation. This includes everyone who is a freelancer, independent contractor and many business owners who don’t have partners. Household employers are also included in this category.

An Estate is a legal entity created as a result of a person’s death. The Estate consists of the personal property and/or real estate of the deceased person. The Estate is responsible for paying any debts owed by the decedent, and distributing the balance of the estate’s assets to the beneficiaries.

A Trust is a legal entity created under state law and is a fiduciary relationship in which one party, known as a Trustor, gives another party, known at the Trustee, the right to legal ownership of assets (including property) for the benefit of another.

The most common types of Trusts are Irrevocable and Revocable Trusts:

Irrevocable Trust – The Trustor has no control of the trust (the trust cannot be repealed or annulled) and the trust will pay tax.

Revocable Trust – A revocable trust is a trust that may be altered or terminated during the Trustor’s lifetime. Since the trust may be altered at any time until the Trustor’s death, it is considered part of the Trustor’s estate and is subject to taxation.

Non-profit organizations include Corporations, Trusts, LLCs, and Unincorporated Associations that qualify for tax-exempt status under IRS Code IRC 501(a). An example of Non-Profit Organizations includes: private foundations, educational organizations, public charities, veteran’s organizations, business leagues, homeowners/condo associations, PTA/PTO or School Organizations and more.

Sole Proprietors, Partnerships and for-profit organizations cannot be considered for tax-exempt status.

A Corporation is a legal entity established by filing Articles of Incorporation with the State, which grants it legal powers, rights, privileges and liabilities. A Corporation can be established by a person or group of people with a charter from the Secretary of State. After a Corporation is created, it becomes its own entity and generally has an indefinite lifespan.

A Partnership is an unincorporated organization with two or more members. The members of a Partnership carry on a trade or business venture and divide its profits. Partners can be individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, and other partnerships. Each partner contributes money, property, labor or skill, and expects to share in the profits and losses of the business. The tax liability of the Partnership passes through to its partners.

An S-Corporation is a type of corporation which has been established by filing Articles of Incorporation with the state’s Secretary of State. It is an eligible domestic corporation that wants to avoid double taxation (once to the shareholders and again to the corporation). The income of an S Corporation is taxed to the shareholders of the corporation rather than to the corporation itself. S Corporations are generally favored by certain professions such as doctors, dentists and certain types of consultants.

A Personal Service Corporation is a person, or group of people who establish a legal entity by filing Articles of Incorporation with the state’s Secretary of State. Typically, a Personal Service Corporation is an organization in which the activity involves the performance of services in the field of health, law, engineering, architecture, accounting, actuarial science, performing arts, or consulting. In a Personal Service Corporation, substantially all of the stock is owned by the employees who perform the services. A Personal Service Corporation sells its ideas or expertise rather than tangible goods.