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SOLE PROPRIETOR
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Sole Proprietorship Basics

Sole proprietorships are so easy to set up and maintain that you may already own one without knowing it. For instance, if you are making some side income as a freelance photographer or writer, you are operating a business as a sole proprietor. But to make your business legitimate, you may have to comply with local tax registration, business license, or permit laws. And you should be fiscally responsible about running your business, because you are personally responsible for paying all business debts of a sole proprietorship.

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doing business as (DBA)

A situation in which a business owner operates a company under a name different from his or her real name. The owner must file a "fictitious name statement" or similar document with the appropriate agency -- for example, the county clerk. This enables consumers to discover the names of the business owners, which is important if a consumer needs to sue the business.

More Definitions

When does a variation of my name become a fictitious business name?

How different can a business name be from my own name without it being considered a DBA (or fictitious business name)? My name is Francine Smith. I want to use F Smith Group (or F Smith Consulting) as a business name. It will be a sole proprietorship.

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