Legal Expertise at Your Fingertips Using a Seattle and Tacoma LLC Attorney

Forming a business is the American dream and is something many people want to do. Last year 5.04 million businesses were created, a 33% increase in one year.

One of the first things you must do when forming a business is to choose the proper legal structure. A limited liability company (LLC) is the most popular option. These entities protect your personal assets and offer outstanding tax benefits.

Forming an LLC can be complex and requires knowledge, experience, and careful attention to detail. A Seattle and Tacoma LLC lawyer can make everything easier. We will help you to navigate the process with confidence and ease. Here are some of the benefits of working with an LLC attorney:

• Experience: A skilled LLC lawyer understands what is involved with forming an LLC in your state. We ensure that all the paperwork is accurately completed and submitted by critical deadlines. We have set up hundreds of LLCs and know how to establish one that works for you.
• Expertise: Your LLC attorney will give you custom advice regarding your situation, including the circumstances and goals of the business. We help you to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each legal structure. Our team works with you to make an informed decision on what entity works well for you.
• Support: After your LLC is running, you will need continuing legal advice and guidance. Our LLC lawyers work with you to navigate various legal issues and ensure your business follows all relevant regulations and laws. We ensure you are fully compliant to help you focus on running your business.
• Reduce Risks: Risk is one of the biggest challenges facing new businesses. You have to worry about contracts, employment issues, and working with your customers. Our LLC attorneys will help you identify and mitigate risks during your business formation. Our strategies make things easier, so you don’t worry about something jeopardizing your hard work.

These are some of the benefits of working with an LLC attorney. You will work with an attorney who gives professional legal advice and uses their experience to help you avoid making critical mistakes.

Dickson, Frohlich, Phillips, and Burgess have decades of experience working with LLCs. We know what is involved in its formation and can help you to set up an entity that works for you. You will work with a skilled Seattle and Tacoma LLC attorney who listens and creates an LLC to match your needs. You can focus on running your business by knowing you did everything possible to reduce the risks.

Contact us now at 206-621-1110 (Seattle) or 253-572-1000 (Tacoma) to schedule your appointment with an LLC lawyer. We give you practical and objective legal advice you can use to benefit your business.

Why Choose Us

Most people make the mistake of assuming they don’t need an attorney to set up their business. These views are the deciding factor that determines if their business will be a success or a failure. Those uninformed business owners who don’t understand the risks or challenges are at a disadvantage. They see other businesses opening and don’t realize how complicated things can get.

A skilled LLC attorney works with you to set up your business from the beginning.  We understand the risks and advise you on the best avenues to avoid them. Your attorney will recommend an LLC that matches your needs and gives you the desired features.

You can start your business knowing that you have done everything possible to reduce the risks. It increases your chances of success by ensuring that you are protecting your business and looking at all contingencies.

Our LLC attorneys are here for you after your business is up and running. You work with a dedicated professional who ensures you are fully compliant and will continually address regulatory challenges. Our approach will keep you legal and deals with evolving risks as your business grows. We are here for you throughout the growth and development of your business. Our attorneys build long-term relationships with our clients and offer trusted legal advice they count on.

How We Can Help

Our attorneys listen to you and work with you to create a business entity matching your needs. Your attorney returns phone calls, emails, and text messages, and we are available to give your business the legal advice it needs.

Our experience in forming numerous LLCs is beneficial to you. These are complex entities and require a skilled attorney who understands the benefits and drawbacks. We will help you to find the proper corporate structure for your business. You are reducing your risks by visiting with a skilled attorney to ensure you are getting everything right.

We will continue to work with you after your business is open. You will face evolving legal issues and need an attorney who makes sure you are fully compliant. Our approach addresses any problems, and we create avenues to mitigate them. We help you focus on running your business by knowing you are working with skilled, dedicated, and experienced professionals.

The business world is continually changing, and not getting the proper legal advice is risky. You face many threats that a skilled attorney can help you avoid. We start this process when you are setting up your business and continue to work with you as it grows. Our team is about building long-term relationships and is the trusted legal advisor you can count on. We are here to make everything simple for forming a business and complying with all regulations and laws.

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FAQs about Forming LLCs in Washington

Our Seattle and Tacoma LLC attorneys answer common questions from our clients.

When you are creating an LLC, you might have a lot of questions. Here are some of the most common questions new clients tend to ask when seeking the services of our LLC attorneys in Seattle or Tacoma.

What is a limited liability company (LLC)?

A limited liability company (LLC) is a type of business entity that provides many of the advantages of a corporation, combined with the tax advantages and flexibility of a partnership.

What can an LLC do?

LLCs can engage in any lawful, for-profit business or activity other than banking or insurance.

Who manages an LLC? Does it need a board of directors?

An LLC can choose a member to be the manager or hire an employee. A benefit of an LLC in Washington State is that it doesn’t need a board of directors like a corporation.

Who can be part of an LLC?

An LLC can be one or more members, including individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, limited partnerships, corporations, other LLCs, or other business entities.

Can an LLC member be a foreign national?

Yes, but the person must have a U.S. taxpayer identification number if the business is engaged in a U.S. trade or business. If the person is working in the U.S. for the LLC, they will need the proper visa or be a permanent resident (have a “green card”) to do so legally.

Are there restrictions on the number of members?

There needs to be at least one member, but otherwise, the number isn’t restricted.

How is member compensation determined?

That’s up to the members to decide. It need not be linked to how much ownership the member has.

Are LLCs easy to change?

After the LLC structure is created, it’s easy to add new members or sell interests to someone else. LLC paperwork requirements are more relaxed than the C-corp business structure, a benefit of an LLC in Washington State. Generally, LLCs have fewer restrictions on many administrative issues compared to other business entities.

Which businesses might be a better fit for an LLC?

LLCs may be a good option for medium- or higher-risk businesses, owners with significant personal assets to protect, and owners who want to pay a lower tax rate than they would with a corporation.

How long does it take a lawyer to make an LLC?

It’s not a long process. Most of the time is spent discussing with the client whether an LLC is the best fit for the business. It’s a matter of creating legal documents. Filing an LLC with the Secretary of State can be done online.

What are the benefits of an LLC in Washington State?

Under an LLC structure, personal assets (a home, personal vehicle, etc.) are not subject to the debts and liabilities of the company. This liability shield is not foolproof, however. As with corporations, under limited circumstances, a person can “pierce the corporate veil” and can reach an individual’s personal assets. An LLC may be the right choice for short-term projects or joint ventures. Multiple businesses or individuals can work together, and there would be a specific dissolution date or term — the number of years the LLC is expected to exist.

How are LLC members taxed?

Double taxation usually occurs with a corporate business structure. The corporation and the owners are taxed separately. An LLC prevents this because the LLC isn’t taxed (unless you want it to be taxed like an S corporation), but members’ income is taxed as if they’re partners.

What are the disadvantages of an LLC?

LLC profits are subject to self-employment taxes, including Medicare and Social Security. LLCs must retain more than one member or be subject to federal taxes as a sole proprietorship or corporation. LLC filing papers and regulatory requirements differ from state to state.

What are the Washington State LLC requirements?

LLCs in Washington State must file an annual report with the Secretary of State, and if they have more than one member, they must obtain an IRS employee identification number. Washington State LLCs must also appoint a registered agent with a physical address in the state of Washington to receive service of process. Out-of-state LLCs doing business in the state of Washington must also appoint a Washington-based registered agent and register with the Secretary of State.

Although Washington State does not require LLCs to have operating agreements, a solid operating agreement can address a variety of issues that may arise in the course of the business. An experienced Washington State LLC attorney can help draw up an operating agreement that will grow with your new company.

Why should I hire a law firm to form an LLC?

LLCs have specific requirements that must be met to obtain tax advantages. Setting up your business properly in the startup phase can save you significant money in the long run. An experienced LLC lawyer can help you understand whether it’s the best choice of business entity for you, as well as help you navigate complicated regulatory requirements and keep up with mandatory filings.

Seattle and Tacoma LLC attorneys

Choose an experienced corporate law firm for your business. LLC attorneys at Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess have provided legal services to small and large companies in the Seattle and Tacoma area for decades. We can discuss the benefits of an LLC in Washington State and whether it’s the right choice for your business. Our knowledge of the local courts and judiciary will potentially save your business valuable time and money.