American Bar Association Legal Guide for Small Business : Everything a Small-Business Person Must Know, from Start-up to Employment Laws to Financing and Selling a Business

by AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATIONABA

• ISBN13: 9780812930153
• ISBN10: 0812930150
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2000-11-01
• Publisher: Random House Reference

Summary

The ABA Legal Guide for Small Businessis the complete and easy guide to understanding the small-business owner's legal responsibilities and options. This guide takes you from the day you start your business right through to the day you sell it or retire: Getting Started: Funding, Financing, Insurance, Location Types of Business Organizations: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Corporations, Limited Liability, Options Franchising: Tips for Evaluating Opportunity, Franchise Agreements, Buying a Business Employees: Hiring, Laws Affecting Employees and Employers, Terminating Employees, Maintaining a Safe Business, Dealing with Customers, Extending Credit Running the Business: Contracts, Special Terms and Strange Clauses, Contract Disputes, Scams, Protecting Intellectual Property Rights Taxes: Business Taxes, State and City Taxes, Knowing Your Rights Possible Endings: Getting a Lawyer, Retirement, Selling a Business Getting Help When You Need It: Knowing When You Need Legal Help, Choosing a Business Lawyer, How to Get More Information

Author Biography

The American Bar Association is the country's best source of legal expertise and authoritative information. Presented in plain, everyday language, <b>The ABA Legal Guide for Small Business</b> is the definitive legal reference for all small-business owners and potential owners who want and deserve to understand their rights.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xiii
Introduction	xv
ONE: First Steps	3	(66)
Getting Started	5	(17)
Business Ideas---and Funding Them
Clearing the Decks	22	(10)
Keeping the Legal Side in Mind Can Save Time and Money
If Your Business Is Ten Feet from the Kitchen	32	(10)
Be Worry-Free by Taking Care of These Legal Wrinkles Affecting Home-Based Businesses
Location, Location, Location	42	(16)
Your Guide to Protecting Yourself in Leasing Property---and More
Buying Peace of Mind	58	(11)
That's What Insurance Is for---but Don't Forget the Legal Dimensions
TWO: Types of Business Organizations	69	(68)
Which Legal Form Should You Choose?
Sole Proprietorships	71	(7)
It's Easy, It's Popular---but Know What You're Getting Into
Partnerships	78	(10)
They Come in Many Flavors, Including General and Limited---Which One's for You?
Is a Corporation for You?	88	(24)
They're Persons Under the Law, Which Opens Up Many Intriguing Possibilities
Limited Trouble---and Paperwork	112	(7)
Find Out Why Limited Liability Companies Are Sweeping the Country
So What's the Best Business Form for You?	119	(18)
We Lay Out Your Options---the Choice Is Yours
THREE: What If You're Not Starting from Scratch?	137	(32)
Is Franchising for You?	139	(10)
Practical, Hands-on Tips for Evaluating a Franchise Opportunity
Understanding and Negotiating the Franchise Agreement	149	(9)
Don't Be Intimidated When Confronted by Those Bulky Legal Documents
Buying a Business	158	(11)
The Basics, Including How You Can Maximize Your Advantage
FOUR: A Section About People	169	(106)
Dealing with Employees and Customers
Hiring Employees	171	(12)
Hiring Without Hassles
Laws Affecting Employees	183	(12)
A Short Course on Law in the Workplace---and How Knowing What's Up Can Benefit You
Terminating Employees	195	(12)
We Cover Everything from Tips on How to Let Someone Go to Noncompete Agreements
Maintaining a Safe Place of Business	207	(16)
For Your Employees, Customers, Business Contacts, and Other Folks on Your Premises
The Legal Side of Dealing with Customers	223	(17)
All You Need to Know About the Consumer Protection Laws
Extending Credit	240	(18)
Bottom-Line Tips on Accepting Checks and Credit Cards and Offering Your Own Credit
The Check Isn't in the Mail!	258	(17)
Collection Dos and Don'ts for Small-Business Owners
FIVE: Runnig the Business	275	(94)
Contracts	277	(28)
Understanding Legally Enforceable Agreements in Your Business's Transactions
Special Contract Terms	305	(16)
Some Tips on What Those Strange Clauses Mean to You
What If There's a Dispute?	321	(13)
Keeping the Lid on Time, Hassles, and Costs
Too Good to Be True	334	(10)
Watch Out for These Scams Against Your Business
Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights	344	(25)
The Lowdown on Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Service Marks, and More
SIX: The Taxman Cometh	369	(32)
Business Taxes 101	371	(19)
Knowing the Basics of Taxation Can Help You Plan---and Save Money
Then There's the State and the City	390	(6)
A Quick Look at How You Can Owe Less
Tangling with the Government	396	(5)
You Have Rights---Know How to Use Them
SEVEN: Various Endings	401	(68)
Some Happy, Some Not
Sink or Swim---Facing Financial Difficulties	403	(15)
The Law, and Your Lawyer, May Be Able to Help
Selling a Business	418	(17)
There Are Plenty of Possible Arrangements---but You Want the Best
Retirement Planning for the Business Owner	435	(15)
The Law Gives You a Lot of Attractive Options
Til Death Do Us Part	450	(19)
What Will Happen to Your Family Business When You Die? Plan Ahead to Avoid Disaster
EIGHT: Getting Help	469	(30)
Do You Need a Lawyer?	471	(10)
A Quick Guide to When You Need Legal Help---and When You Don't
Choosing a Business Lawyer	481	(14)
How to Find the Right Lawyer for Your Company
Where Do You Go from Here?	495	(4)
The Best Places to Turn for More Information---Including Sites on Doing Business on the Web
Index	499