LLCs shield their members from legal claims, but the company itself still carries liability risks.

Angela J. Thomas, ATM Investments, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I am just starting out in the investment world and am still a bit green in understanding certain things. I purchased two investment properties in 2004 and am renting them out. This year, I created an investment LLC for them. My questions is, although I have the LLC with its “limited liability,” do I still have to put insurance on the company?

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Keith, Minooka, Ill.
I want to start a new business with a partner. Should I use my existing LLC or start a new one?

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Reporting nonpaying customers to an agency like Equifax is an option - but if you do it for one customer, you have to do it for them all.

Rajendra Hariprashad, Glen Oaks, N.Y.
Can a small business make a negative report on their clients’ credit report for not paying their bill? If yes, how can it be done?

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B.H., Deltona, Florida
How do I switch a personal car title/registration into an S-corp business name? How do I record taxes on this? Read more…

Chris Lambrinides, Vernon, N.J.
I want to sell a line of products on my Web site and in my store. The manufacturer refuses to sell to us even if we pay in advance. Is this legal? He sells to dozens of other distributors across the country. Read more…

Bidhu Prakash, Ellicott City, Md.
My wife and I are the owners and the sole officers of an LLC. We make money only when we are on a project. Do we still need to pay a salary to ourselves if we are between projects and not making any money during this period? Read more…

Cassie Mariol, New Philadelphia, Ohio
I started a janitorial service, Complete Janitorial Solutions, and my sister joined me as an equal partner. In January, I told her I would like to get out of the business in six months. In February, my sister formed a new enterprise under her own name, contacted all of our clients, and told them I was planning on quitting the cleaning business. She then asked them to terminate any contracts with Complete Janitorial Solutions and sign new ones with her. The only compensation offered for my financial setback was a 2000 Astro van. Am I in any legal position to ask for compensation? What kind of severance am I entitled to? When we became incorporated, we never wrote up any legal documents stating what would happen in this case. Read more…

Forming a corporate entity can be financially and legally advantageous, but check out tax and insurance considerations first, the experts advise.

Jennifer, Flagler Beach, Fla.
I am a licensed professional (a mental-health counselor) doing contract work paid under a 1099, for tax purposes. Can I remain self-employed, or do I need to set up as a professional association, an LLC or a corporation? Are the tax rates different? Read more…

Joe Moa, Holmes, N.Y.
I am currently in the last stages of putting a product on the market, and I am using a patented product as a component to my product. I made several modifications to the patented product. Can I still use the modified patented product as a component to my product without any legal issues? Read more…

Ted Browne, Grove, Calif.
If you wish to protect original writings, but each piece you write is then customized for several different companies to use (in effect, “branding” the piece for each company), how can you protect your original work? Read more…