Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business

The all-in-one business law book

Whether you’re just starting a small business, or your business is already up and running, legal questions crop up on an almost daily basis. Ignoring them can threaten your enterprise―but hiring a lawyer to help with routine issues can devastate the bottom line.

The Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business has helped more than a quarter million entrepreneurs and business owners master the basics, including how to:

• raise start-up money
• decide between an LLC or other business structure
• save on business taxes
• get licenses and permits
• choose the right insurance
• negotiate contracts and leases
• avoid problems if you’re buying a franchise
• hire and manage employees and independent contractors
• attract and keep customers (and get paid on time), and
• limit your liability and protect your personal assets.

Whether you’re a sole proprietor or an LLC or corporation, or a one-person business operating out of your home, or a company with a large staff leasing space, this book will help you start and run a successful business.

The 16th edition is completely updated with the latest legal information and tax rules for small businesses under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Until his death in 2017, Attorney Fred S. Steingold was a practicing attorney in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His main practice areas were real estate law and business law. He is the author of several Nolo books, including Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business and The Employer's Legal Handbook.

David M. Steingold is a private attorney currently based in Michigan. His practice covers multiple areas including business law. He has been an author for Nolo since 2012.