Choose a business structure. The form of business determines which income tax return a business taxpayer needs to file. The most common business structures are:
Sole proprietorship: An unincorporated business owned by an individual. There’s no distinction between the taxpayer and their business. An example would be an Uber Driver Partnership: An unincorporated business with ownership shared between two or more people. S Corporation: A corporation that elects to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to the shareholders. An LLC has the option to be treated as an S-Corp. S-Corporations are not subject to self employment tax although they are required to pay owners a reasonable salary. [Limited Liability Company]: A business structure allowed by state statute. A single member LLC would file their business on their personal return. An LLC with multiple partners would file as a partnership. Corporation: Also known as a C corporation. It’s a separate entity owned by shareholders.