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Do I Have to Sign This? Spousal Consent Forms

By: Alyssa Ziegenhorn When forming a new business, it’s important to make sure the ownership interest in the business is clear. Whether you are forming a C-corp, an S-corp, or an LLC, ownership of some kind is going to be distributed between the founders. We’ve discussed the importance of signing a stock purchase agreement; the… Read More

By: Alyssa Ziegenhorn

When forming a new business, it’s important to make sure the ownership interest in the business is clear. Whether you are forming a C-corp, an S-corp, or an LLC, ownership of some kind is going to be distributed between the founders. We’ve discussed the importance of signing a stock purchase agreement; the same goes for an Operating Agreement in an LLC which outlines the membership interest percentage of each member.

If you are receiving shares of a corporation or a membership interest in an LLC, you may see a “spousal consent form” with your spouse’s name and some form of acknowledgement such as:

 “I, [Spouse’s Name], spouse of [Participant’s Name] (“Participant”), have read and hereby approve the foregoing Agreement.  In consideration of the Company’s granting my spouse the right to acquire the Shares as set forth in the Agreement, I hereby agree to be bound irrevocably by the Agreement and further agree that any community property or other such interest that I may have in the Shares shall hereby be similarly bound by the Agreement.  I hereby appoint my spouse as my attorney-in-fact with respect to any amendment or exercise or waiver of any rights under the Agreement.”

This is because California is what’s known as a community property state. That means all the assets that are acquired by either spouse during their marriage belongs to both spouses equally. So, if you receive shares, your spouse technically has a 50% ownership interest in those shares.

Does this mean your spouse is a shareholder of the company, or a member of your LLC? Not exactly. They are not the named recipient of the shares or membership interest, so they don’t have all the rights and privileges that come along with them. For example, the right to vote on company decisions such as electing the Board of Directors or to approve decisions for the LLC. They do, however, have certain rights that attach to community property, and this can cause issues for the company.

One rule of community property is that a spouse cannot gift, sell, or give away community property without the consent of the other spouse. This may be an issue if, for example, a founder’s stock purchase agreement is subject to vesting. What happens if they leave the company and some shares of stock are unvested? Those shares are, according to the terms of the agreement, supposed to return to the company. But what about the ownership interest of the non-founder spouse, who never signed that stock agreement? Technically, the founder spouse can’t “give” that stock back to the company without their consent, but the company has the right to automatically repurchase the stock. To avoid this type of conflict, it’s imperative that all spouses sign the spousal consent waiver at the time the shares are purchased or received.

Another example is electing to have your LLC or C-corporation taxed as an S-corporation. The S-corp election requires all “owners” of membership interest or shares to consent via signature on Form 2553. This includes the spouses of LLC members or corporate shareholders. If you don’t include signatures from all spouses, the IRS can revoke your S-corp status.

These principles apply equally to stock grants to employees, advisors, consultants, and investors, or new members to your LLC who join after formation. You should always include the spousal consent waiver in any grant of shares or membership interest to residents of a community property state. It is important to note that the spousal consent form doesn’t affect the ownership rights of the second spouse. They still retain their usual community property rights in the assets. The consent form simply allows the company and the receiving spouse to treat all the equity as subject to the agreed-upon terms of the stock agreement or LLC operating agreement.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.  Bend Law Group, PC expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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Beyond Bills: Leveraging Accounting, Finance & Insurance for Growth in 2024

Doug partnered with Pilot.com and Founder Shield on a webinar on Beyond Bills: Leveraging Accounting, Finance & Insurance for Growth in 2024.  You can learn about his journey building Bend Law Group & insights on how to grow a successful professional service company here. Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may… Read More

Doug partnered with Pilot.com and Founder Shield on a webinar on Beyond Bills: Leveraging Accounting, Finance & Insurance for Growth in 2024.  You can learn about his journey building Bend Law Group & insights on how to grow a successful professional service company here.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.  Bend Law Group, PC expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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How To Form A Subsidiary In The United States

This article was first published by the Young Entrepreneur Council. By: Doug Bend International companies that are looking to expand into the U.S. market often form a U.S. subsidiary. By doing so, they help isolate any liability that might arise in the U.S. to the subsidiary to protect the parent company. There are seven steps… Read More

This article was first published by the Young Entrepreneur Council.

By: Doug Bend

International companies that are looking to expand into the U.S. market often form a U.S. subsidiary. By doing so, they help isolate any liability that might arise in the U.S. to the subsidiary to protect the parent company. There are seven steps to forming the subsidiary:

1.  Certificate of Incorporation

More than half of all Fortune 500 companies and most U.S. subsidiaries are formed in Delaware because it is the preference of investors.

You first will need to file a Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State’s Office.

If you do not have a U.S. mailing address, you could use a mail forwarding service. For example, some of our clients use Alliance starts which starts at $50 per month.

2. Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Next, you will need to obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS for the subsidiary.

If you have a U.S. tax identification number, you can obtain the EIN online here.

If you do not have a U.S. tax identification number, you will need to file IRS Form SS-4.

3. Bylaws, Indemnification Agreements and A Board Consent

You should also prepare bylaws, indemnification agreements for the officers and directors of the subsidiary and an initial Board consent approving the issuance of shares to the parent company.

4. City Business License

You most likely will also need to obtain a city business license for the subsidiary.

5. Registering Any DBAs

Depending on where the subsidiary is headquartered you may need to register the additional names that the subsidiary will be operating under besides for its full legal name.

For example, if the subsidiary is headquartered in California you will file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the county clerk’s office. Once Fictitious Business Name has been approved by the county clerk’s office, you will need to have it published in a legally adjudicated newspaper.

6. Bureau of Economic Analysis

You are also required to file a report with the Bureau of Economic Analysis.The initial report must be filed no later than 45 days after the date of the investment transaction.

Which form you file will depend on much money you are investing in the subsidiary. For example, if the total cost of expansion is less than $3m, then Form BE–13 Claim for Exemption can be filed.The BE-13 can be filed online here.

7. Additional Government Filings

There may be additional government filings. For example, if the subsidiary is headquartered in California and has employees, you will need to register it with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) so you can run payroll. If it is selling goods, you will also need to obtain a seller’s permit from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

You should consult with your attorney as your jurisdiction might have different requirements, but this checklist is a good starting point for forming a U.S. subsidiary.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.  Bend Law Group, PC expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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The Corporate Transparency Act: A Guide For Small-Business Owners

This article was originally published on Forbes. By: Doug Bend The road to onerous corporate compliance is paved with good intentions. I believe there is no better example than the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which took effect on January 1, 2024. The goal of the CTA is to combat money laundering by requiring business entities… Read More

This article was originally published on Forbes.

By: Doug Bend

The road to onerous corporate compliance is paved with good intentions. I believe there is no better example than the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which took effect on January 1, 2024. The goal of the CTA is to combat money laundering by requiring business entities to report their beneficial owners. However, there are strict deadlines and steep penalties for noncompliance, so owners must understand the CTA and how it might affect their businesses.

Explaining The Corporate Transparency Act

Under the CTA, certain businesses are required to submit a Beneficial Ownership Information report to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The report must include the names of each beneficial owner who either owns at least 25% of the business or exercises “substantial control,” according to FinCEN’s FAQ page about the act.

“Substantial control” can be direct or indirect, such as serving as a senior officer; having authority over the hiring and removal of senior officers or the majority of the board; having substantial influence over important decisions or “any other form of substantial control over the reporting company,” FinCEN’s FAQ page also said. You are required to disclose each beneficial owner’s name, date of birth and address and upload an image of either their driver’s license or passport.

Businesses formed after January 1, 2024, are required to file their first report within 90 days of creation or registration. Those formed before January 1, 2024, will have until January 1, 2025. Additionally, you are required to file an updated report within 30 days of any change in your company’s beneficial ownership information, according to FinCEN.

If you would like to file the report for your business entity, I suggest first obtaining a FinCEN ID for the report. You can obtain one here and file the report here.

Exemptions

There are 23 types of entities that are exempt. I recommend reviewing FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide checklist to see whether your company qualifies for any of these exemptions.

Fraudulent Solicitations

FinCEN has put out an alert to be careful of “fraudulent attempts to solicit information from individuals and entities who may be subject to [CTA] reporting requirements.” Be particularly cautious of e-mails with the subject line “Important Compliance Notice” and that ask you “to click on a URL or to scan a QR code.”

Penalties

If a report is not timely filed, FinCEN can impose civil penalties of $500 per day per entity, a $10,000 criminal penalty per entity and imprisonment for up to two years. To say the least, the consequences of not being in compliance are enormous.

An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure

Many small-business owners will likely either spend several hours navigating the details of these requirements each year or choose to hire an attorney to make sure each report is properly submitted. For owners who already have too much on their plates, this might feel like one more headache with very stiff penalties for noncompliance.

To make navigating changing compliance requirements more manageable and stay informed of regulatory changes, business owners can consider working with a reputable business attorney and a CPA. Have an annual check-in meeting with your business attorney to discuss any regulatory changes and to make sure you are completing the legal requirements for your business. I believe it is a good idea to meet with your CPA at least twice a year: once in the fall before the books have closed for the year and again early the next year to discuss your corporate tax return.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Bend Law Group, PC, expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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Major Factors To Consider When Selling Your Business

Doug was recently quoted in an article on Forbes and about how you need to be wary of potential bad actors when you sell your business “[c]ompetitors often express an interest in purchasing a business merely to gain as much information about that business as possible with no intent of actually completing the purchase. Be… Read More

Doug was recently quoted in an article on Forbes and about how you need to be wary of potential bad actors when you sell your business “[c]ompetitors often express an interest in purchasing a business merely to gain as much information about that business as possible with no intent of actually completing the purchase. Be sure to have a solid mutual non-disclosure agreement in place before you share any of your confidential information, and trust your gut before you share too much of your company’s secret sauce.”

If you are interested in reading the remaining factors to consider when selling your business, feel free to check out the full article on Forbes!

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Bend Law Group, PC, expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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Caution – Copyrights Ahead!

By: Alyssa Ziegenhorn A picture is worth a thousand words – and can spice up any blog  entry, business website, or  social media post. When so much content  is vying for people’s attention, every little bit of pizzaz matters to driving traffic to your online presence, whether it is for personal use, business promotion, or… Read More

By: Alyssa Ziegenhorn

A picture is worth a thousand words – and can spice up any blog  entry, business website, or  social media post. When so much content  is vying for people’s attention, every little bit of pizzaz matters to driving traffic to your online presence, whether it is for personal use, business promotion, or educational content. However, you must be careful when searching for images online. Although it may appear that an image is available for free, it’s easy to accidentally infringe on  a copyright holder’s rights. Unfortunately some  businesses make it their model to go after this accidental infringement and demand large sums of money for the infraction. Because the use is unauthorized, it can be hard to fight back against these demands.

First: Look for a caption or link next to the photo. If the name of the image creator, artist, photographer, etc. appears, you should look them up and request permission to use the photo. There may be a link to the author or owner’s website, or an email address. The caption may also include the license the image is distributed under. Some licenses allow for free commercial use, while others may allow use if you provide credit (attribution) to the author.

Second: Check the metadata. To view a photo’s metadata, right click the image and save or download it to your computer desktop. On the desktop, right click the file and select “properties” then go to the “details” tab. Stored information about the image will appear, which may include the author and/or owner of the image.

If you are frequently searching for images to use and want a more convenient option, you can add the EXIF Viewer extension to your browser in Google Chrome.  This allows you to right click an image in a web page on or your device and view its metadata.

Third: Run a Google reverse image search.

  1. Go to Google images and click the camera icon in the search bar. Then drag or upload the photo you want to check into the search box (you can do this directly from the image search results page, too – just click on the camera icon then drag the image from results up to the box).
  2. The results will pop up with the image in a large box on the left, with a button that says “Find image source” on top.
  3. Click on that image and you can see where Google is sourcing the image from. This may not directly display the owner of the image. However, the results can help lead you to that information. Magazine and newspaper articles will usually include photo credit to the owner of the image, so those are a great place to start.

Fourth: Look for images licensed under a Creative Commons license, or in the public domain.

  1. The Creative Commons 3.0 license allows copying, modification, and distribution of an image. Some versions are restricted to non-commercial uses, so make sure you check before using an image for business or commercial purposes.
  2. Images in the public domain are available for use without restriction, although it is still best to credit the image’s creator when possible.

If you are not sure about whether an image is available for use, it’s safest to move on. The benefits of a using particular image rarely outweigh the potential risk of infringing on a copyright. If you have questions about copyright restrictions, using a particular image, or need assistance with a copyright claim, please reach out to us at info@bendlawoffice.com  

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Bend Law Group, PC, expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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How To Change The Legal Name Of A Delaware Corporation That Is Also Registered To Do Business In California

This articles was originally published in Forbes. By: Doug Bend For a variety of reasons, most startups that are looking to grow and scale are Delaware corporations. If you would like to change the full legal name of your Delaware corporation that is also registered to do business in California after it has been formed, there… Read More

This articles was originally published in Forbes.

By: Doug Bend

For a variety of reasons, most startups that are looking to grow and scale are Delaware corporations.

If you would like to change the full legal name of your Delaware corporation that is also registered to do business in California after it has been formed, there are ten steps:

1. Board And Shareholders’ Consents

First, you will need to have a shareholders meeting and a board of directors meeting, or written consents in lieu of the meetings, to approve the name change.

2. Amendment To The Certificate Of Incorporation

Second, you will need to file an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to change the official legal name of the corporation with the Delaware Secretary of State’s Office.

3. California Secretary Of State

Third, you will need to update the California Secretary of State’s Office of the name change.

4. City Business License

Fourth, you will need to update the city business license with the name change.

5. Fictitious Business Name Statement

Fifth, you will need to file an updated Fictitious Business Name Statement with the County Clerk’s Office. Once you get the endorsed FBNS back, you will need to have it published in a legally adjudicated newspaper.

6. Employment Development Department

If you run payroll for employees in California, you will need to update the California Employment Development Department of the name change.

7. Seller’s Permit

If you sell physical goods in California, you will need to update the Seller’s Permit with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.

8. IRS

You will also need to send a letter to the IRS about the name change and include the endorsed amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation. The good news is your corporation should keep its Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).

9. Trademarks

If you have registered any trademarks, you will need to update the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of the name change.

10. Vendors

Lastly, you will need to update the company’s vendors on the name change. For example, you will need to update the company’s insurance policies and bank account.

You should consult with your attorney as your corporation might have additional requirements, but this checklist is a good starting point for putting together a game plan for your company’s name change. As you can see, several government agencies and vendors would need to be updated, so you should make sure that the benefits of making the name change will outweigh the time and costs.

Disclaimer: This article discusses general legal issues and developments. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current law in your jurisdiction. These informational materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented herein without seeking the advice of counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Bend Law Group, PC, expressly disclaims all liability in respect of any actions taken or not taken based on any contents of this article.

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