You have the option of legalizing your business as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, and for a profit or nonprofit corporation in any state of your choosing. You are personally liable for any losses suffered in a sole proprietorship or partnership whether you're the culpable person or not. Limited liability companies limit but do not eliminate your personal exposure to losses suffered by the company. We suggest you avoid these options.
Incorporating is usually your best option. If you're reading this information, you already know your best protection is to legally incorporate your business. What you may not know is that you may incorporate your private corporation as a non profit corporation. As a non-profit you may pay your employees or contract laborers and all other expenses exactly as you do now. You may pay yourself as an employee or contract laborer as well.
As part of your fee, IPX Services will incorporate your private association as a North Carolina nonprofit association. You still run your business according to prudent business operations, and in the same manner you currently run your business, but you have the additional benefit of being a nonprofit corporation.
The Advantages of Incorporating in North Carolina:
No annual fees - Nonprofit corporations in North Carolina pay a one-time incorporation fee and are not required to pay an annual renewal fee.
No annual corporate business reports - You keep a record of your board meetings and financial affairs but you do not need to report these things to the State of North Carolina. You may avoid reporting this information to your own state by staying incorporated in North Carolina.
Registered Agent - IPX Services -- your North Carolina registered agent -- will forward all legal documents and other important mail to you at the address you stipulate and re-mail or discard all spam letters and cards at your option.
Employer Identification Number - IPX Services -- your registered agent -- will obtain an employer identification number for you which you can use to open checking and savings accounts and pay expenses including yourself, independent contractors and/or employees.
IRS Reporting - IPX Services -- your registered agent -- will notify you three months in advance of any IRS reports you need to file for your association.
Forming an Association:
Associations and members of that association have more rights under the law than other groups and individuals. The 1st and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution guarantee you those rights. Unfortunately, and to be bluntly honest about it, you need a very good attorney to create your association in the right way to incorporate those rights into your business.
There are probably less than a hundred attorneys in America who know enough about health care, health products, healthy food, state health care licensing boards, Codex Alimentarius, how to create private membership associations that protect the members and practices law in the federal court system. Our attorneys are widely considered by association experts in the natural and holistic health professions to be the top such attorneys in the country.
There's a maxim in law that states: "Do it right from the beginning and you will have the best legal protection available under the law." If you don't do it right from the very beginning you have less than the best protection. Having less than the best protection is inadequate protection in our litigious society and unpredictable legal system. Whatever you do, we encourage you to do it right from the very beginning.
How To Manage Your Association
When you're speaking with a member of your association you can use words like diagnose, analysis, treat, treatment, prescription, tell them to do something, counsel and advise them in an attempt to help them be cured. While you could do these things under the umbrella of your association, we strongly recommend you don't. For your own protection and the protection of your members we recommend you use the following words in discussing any health issue with your association members and the public:
Teacher, teach or teaching
Training or train
Demonstrating or demonstrate
Coach or Coaching
When people ask you for a diagnosis, the best approach is to ask them: "What do you think is wrong with you?" Another way is to explain that they are the best person in the world to diagnose their own condition -- and research findings support this statement. Give them an assignment to research their own symptoms and then tell you what they think is wrong and what they think they should do about it.
If what they say sounds reasonable then support them. If not, then tell them you're not sure that's a good assessment and encourage them to continue their research. Remember that you are a teacher and can assist them in finding answers for themselves.
When people ask you to prescribe something to help them or ask you what they should take, teach them what you can and coach them to research their symptoms and remedies for themselves. The best way to avoid practicing any licensed profession without a license is to teach, demonstrate and coach.
Empower your members to diagnose their own ills and prescribe their own remedies, Encourage them to do what they indicate when they make good decisions. Encourage them to join discussion groups and to continue their research when they don't.
The more you teach, train, demonstrate and coach your clients, the safer you all are under the umbrella of your association. But when you feel you must act and act now for the benefit of your members, do what you feel you must do. Your association will give you the best legal protection available under the circumstances.
That's why you choose an outstanding attorney to create your association for you. I want more information!
documents and other important mail to you at the address you stipulate and re-mail or discard all spam letters and cards at your option.
When people ask you to prescribe something to help them or ask you what they should take, teach them what you can and coach them to research their symptoms and remedies for themselves. The best way to avoid practicing any licensed profession without a license is to teach, demonstrate and coach.