Kickstart your USA business from Pakistan
LLC
The simplest way of structuring your business to protect personal assets.
Corporation
Plan to issue shares, go public, or go global? Go there as a corporation.
Nonprofit
Create an organization to give back and be eligible for tax breaks.
Doing business as
Go by a different business name without creating a new company.
Business types at a glance
| How it protects you | LLC | Corporation | Nonprofit | Sole prop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited liability protection This ensures you or other partners aren't personally on the hook for company debts and liabilities. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| How it's managed and maintained | ||||
| Flexible management structure Corporations require a board of directors, annual meetings, record keeping, and more. LLCs and sole proprietorships have rules too—but they're less strict. | ✔ | - | - | ✔ |
| State compliance requirements After you form, there are annual requirements to keep your business in good standing. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| How it's taxed | ||||
| Taxed LLCs and corporations have multiple tax options. | ✔ | ✔ | - | ✔ |
| Tax exempt Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status are exempt from federal income taxes. | - | - | Only with 501(c)(3) status | - |
| How it can grow | ||||
| Flexibility to raise capital Get access to funds from banks, venture capital firms, and foundations. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Able to IPO Only corporations can sell shares on the stock market. | - | C corp only | - | - |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between an LLC and a corporation?
Both protect owners so they're not personally on the hook for business liabilities or debts. But, key differences include how they're owned (LLCs have one or more individual owners and corporations have shareholders) and maintained (corporations generally have more formal record-keeping and reporting requirements). Even though LLCs are considered easier to start and maintain, investors tend to prefer corporations.
What's the difference between a C corporation and an S corporation?
The way you're taxed.
C corporation income is taxed twice—the business pays taxes on its net income, and then the shareholders also pay taxes on the profits they receive. With S corporation income, only the shareholders pay taxes on profits received.
What's the main difference between a sole proprietorship and an LLC?
Personal liability protection. An LLC protects owners from being personally on the hook for business liabilities or debts. A sole proprietorship doesn't.
How are different business types taxed?
LLCs, S corporations, and sole proprietorships are taxed once on profits received. C corporations are taxed twice; the business pays taxes at the corporate level, and shareholders pay taxes on income received. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status are exempt from federal income taxes.
Which business types give me personal liability protection?
LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits. You don't get personal liability protection with sole proprietorships or DBAs.
