Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business (Legal Guide for Starting and Running a Small Business, 6th ed)

Small business owners are regularly confronted by a bewildering array of legal questions and problems. Ignoring them can lead to disaster -- but with lawyers typically charging $150-$250 an hour, calling one to answer routine legal questions can be a fast track to the poorhouse.

Fortunately, you have a better alternative. Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business clearly explains the practical and legal information you need to:

* raise start-up money
* choose between a sole proprietorship, partnership or L.L.C.
* get licenses and permits
* buy or sell a business or franchise
* negotiate a favorable lease
* insure your business
* hire independent contractors safely
* understand small business tax rules
* pick & protect a good name
* resolve legal disputes
* adopt the best customer policies
* enter into enforceable contracts
* cope with financial problems

Completely revised and updated, the book provides the latest information on the hugely popular limited liability corporation, including an expanded discussion of how to choose between a corporation and an LLC.

The bestselling book also packs tips on:

* sharing business ownership with a spouse
* how to raise money
* new rules for taking home-office tax deductions
* the best Web sites for small-business legal information.

Attorney Fred S. Steingold practices law in Ann Arbor, Michigan. An expert on small business law, he represents and advises many small businesses and frequently leads seminars on how to start and run small businesses. He is also the author of Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business and The Employer’s Legal Handbook. His monthly column, The Legal Advisor, is carried by trade publications around the country.