Insurance/Company Name/Being "legal"

[dsquad6]

Hi, I justed wanted to know if anyone knew anything about the state of PA regulations. Were starting lawn service and basic landscaping services and I am 21 and graduated college. So i guess heres some of questions I been wondering: 1. Do I need insurance right away and Do I need insurance to have contracts with clients? 2. Company name, what the process of registering it so no troubles with that? 3. I see forum saying some people need to be "legal" can anyone help me out about this subject? Thanks!

[mark123]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by dsquad6 ... 1. Do I need insurance right away and Do I need insurance to have contracts with clients? Most commercial accounts require insurance. Residential accounts you can really do what you want but if you blow a rock through someone's $1,000,000 stained glass church window you better have the cash to cover it! Too many things can happen that will cost you more than just your business. Get insurance, it is not that much money. Yes, you need insurance. Another point is that if you are going to apply pesticides/herbicides you need current insurance to even apply for the license in PA. Originally Posted by dsquad6 2. Company name, what the process of registering it so no troubles with that? If you use your name as the business name, such as DeRoberto's Mowing, you don't need to apply for a fictitious name. If you use "and Sons" or something like that you need to apply for a fictitious name whether you use your name in it or not. If you're going to make up a name such as "Evil Prince of Darkness Mowing and Soul Torture" then you need to apply for a fictitious name. You need to apply for an EIN from the federal government to open a business checking account or else the bank won't cash your checks unless everyone agrees to make them out to you and not to the business name. It's free, do it. You need to apply for a PA sales tax license so that you can collect sales tax (mowing is taxable in PA). It's free, do it. Originally Posted by dsquad6 3. I see forum saying some people need to be "legal" can anyone help me out about this subject? Here in PA "legal" basically means that you collect and pay sales tax and not much else. Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

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Boughter's Lawn Care Services Mowing and Fertilizing in New Castle, PA

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Last edited by mark123; 03-29-2010 at 05:31 PM.

[CHEESE2009]

Originally Posted by mark123

If you're going to make up a name such as "Evil Prince of Darkness Mowing and Soul Torture" then you need to apply for a fictitious name.

HOLY CRAP AHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAhHAHahahhahaahah! !!!

[mark123]

Originally Posted by CHEESE2009

UNHOLY CRAP AHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAhHAHahahhahaahah! !!!

Fixed it for you.

[Steve]

You need to apply for an EIN from the federal government to open a business checking account or else the bank won't cash your checks unless everyone agrees to make them out to you and not to the business name. It's free, do it.

Great post!

Can you use your ss# when opening a business account if you don't have any employees yet?

[MountainViewGreenskeeper]

Originally Posted by Steve

Great post!

Can you use your ss# when opening a business account if you don't have any employees yet?

Yes finally got my account today dont know how ive gone so long with out it. You just need articles of organization or something like that they found mine online, drivers license to verify your the one in the articles, and a ss#. I aplied online spent 10 minutes signing signing 4 documents a few questions to get answered and was out the door.

As for the insurance I would get it as soon as possible but as mark said for residential customers its do what you want.

Im gunna start another company if you dont mind with that business name if you dont mind??? Evil Price of Darkness Mowing and Landscape for all your landscape nightmares. It could work... it gets up to 112 degrees in the summer.

[mark123]

Originally Posted by Steve

Great post!

Can you use your ss# when opening a business account if you don't have any employees yet?

My bank required an EIN with the business name. There is some sort of requirement to open an account now due to the Patriot Act that demands identification. That could have something to do with it.

You can use your ss# for an EIN when filing taxes but to use the name of the business to cash checks written to the business you need the EIN. It may vary from bank to bank though.

[MountainViewGreenskeeper]

As far as I can tell those of us who dont have employees and dont have EIN numbers the ss# works as a substitute they asked for the EIN but I didnt have. Maybe your right Mark varies from bank to bank but wouldnt know.....

[Steve]

There is some sort of requirement to open an account now due to the Patriot Act that demands identification. That could have something to do with it.

Holy Crap! Aint that something! The patriot act got into everything! AMAZING!

[Paineless Creations]

Originally Posted by dsquad6

1. Do I need insurance right away and do I need insurance to have contracts with clients?

I kind of have the same question, I live in WA and I have my Business License using my SS# (No employees). But for the type of insurance I would want to get, DO I just call my Home/auto Insurance rep and tell her I have a business and I need to be covered? Just in case I break a window or something bad happens. On a posive note, I just picked my first resident cust. yesterday Are there special places that give insurance to businesses?
What you see out here on signs is Licensed and bonded???
What shall I do.. BONDED?????

THANKS