District of Columbia C Corporation Formation Attorneys & Lawyers

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Seth W.

Seth Wiener

1203 reviews
As an experienced trial lawyer and litigator, Seth Wiener has resolved numerous federal and state litigations. His cases have included everything from family law to bankruptcy to fraud and more. Before Seth formed his own firm, the Law Office of Seth W. Wiener, he worked for several prominent law offices where he gained a great deal of experience.
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Geoffrey A.

Geoffrey Amend

787 reviews
Geoffrey Amend has over 21 years of experience as a business attorney. He is licensed to practice law in Kansas. Geoffrey has represented numerous corporate clients, including JungleBee, MomoCentral and APIMATIC. He started his own legal firm in 2013 and was the general counsel at Chelsea Partner before starting his own firm. Geoffrey graduated with a J.D. in law from the Washburn University School of Law in 1995.
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Steven S.

Steven Stark

558 reviews
For over 30 years, Steven Stark has offered counsel to non-profit organizations and private companies. He has a passion for helping small businesses in particular since he himself started several businesses of his own in New York and Florida. He understands the importance of small businesses having a reliable attorney to advise them about legal matters from their inception.
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Scott S.

Scott Stram

364 reviews
As a member of both the New York and New Jersey Bars, Scott Stram is an accomplished lawyer with experience in a range of legal and business areas. This includes corporate law, data security, compliance, real estate, and intellectual property. Before founding Stram Law, Scott was a compliance officer for a company that performed property audits, a director of a security consulting practice, and an operations officer for Viacom and CBS.
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Neil G.

Neil Gandhi

323 reviews
Neil Ghandhi has 12 years of experience as a corporate attorney. He is licensed to practice law in both New York and New Jersey. Neil received his legal degree from the Fordham University School of Law. Neil is experienced in securities and finances, and often assists startup companies overcome legal obstacles. He has been the chief legal officer at ComicsVerse.com since December 2015, as well as the managing attorney at his own legal office since January 2014.
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Jake S.

Jake Siciliano

224 reviews
Jake graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he focused on international trademark and corporate law. As of 2022, he has obtained his L.L.M. in Financial Compli... read more
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David Y.

David Yamaguchi

221 reviews
Startups and small businesses sometimes need someone who can deal with complex transactions on an international playing field. David Yamaguchi specializes in content hosting issues and intellectual property. He concentrates his practice in the United States, Asia, India, and Europe. Whether you are a business giant or a startup, Mr. Yamaguchi can provide legal advice that fits your needs.
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Mario N.

Mario Naim

219 reviews
Mario's firm focuses on serving growth companies throughout the venture capital life cycle from startups to public companies. The firm provides services related to business law, specifically corporate, securities, business combinations and commercial transactions. He has also helped foreign clients in the acquisitions of businesses in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and South America.
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Richard G.

Richard Gora

200 reviews
Looking for an attorney with experience? Richard Gora is the exact attorney you want. Having defended over 100 cases both in state and federal courts and working with clients from around the globe, Richard has an array of different experiences. His services are wide-ranging and include business litigation, securities litigations, employment litigation, and business counsel. Prior to founding Gora LLC, he worked for Finn, Dixon & Herling LLP for eight years.
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Glenn M.

Glenn Manishin

161 reviews
Glenn Manishin is the managing partner at Paradigmshift Law LLP and founded the law firm in 2015. The focus of his law firm lies within Internet technology and business law. Attorney Manishin has a mission in place to help clients and companies find creative and efficient ways for their business models to navigate through legal and regulatory barriers. Attorney Manishin has worked with top companies including Sports Fans Coalition, Inc., Consumer Federation of America, and more.
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Neil P.

Neil Park

138 reviews
Neil Park is well-equipped in Private Practice - with over 7 years of experience acting as outside General Counsel for many of his business clients. For the past two years, Neil has been working as Counsel for an Intellectual Property boutique. His practice areas include Intellectual Property Counseling, Trademark Prosecution, Licensing, Trade Secret Management and Strategy, Business Transactions, Corporate Law and Regulatory Compliance. He attended Loyola Law School.
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Paul S.

Paul Spitz

132 reviews
With an MBA in marketing from Indiana University, Paul Spitz offers business experience and legal expertise to companies ranging from startups to midsize organizations. He specializes in the areas of technology, marketing, e-commerce, and digital media. Unlike attorneys at large law firms, Mr. Spitz is able to provide affordable services in counseling, representation, and negotiation.
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Alisha B.

Alisha Bond

129 reviews
-Received a BS in Communications in 2005, JD from Mississippi College School of Law in 2009, and MBA from University of Maryland in 2016. -Results driven and experienced a... read more
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Grant M.

Grant Maynard

122 reviews
Grant represents high-growth companies in all aspects of formation, financing, and intellectual property issues. He has previously done general corporate, intellectual, and real estate work at Nebraska's oldest law firm before transitioning to a more virtual lifestyle. As an entrepreneur himself, he understands the need to balance legal and business interests.
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Jonathan S.

Jonathan Savar

112 reviews
In addition to being a skilled business lawyer, Jonathan Savar is highly experienced in investment banking. He handles strategic transactions, financings, and contracts for individuals, startups, and middle-market companies. Mr. Savar offers every one of his clients individualized attention to provide efficient, cost-effective services.
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Baruch G.

Baruch Gottesman

109 reviews
Baruch Gottesman is a corporate attorney with over a decade of experience. He is licensed to practice law in both New Jersey and New York. Baruch obtained his J.D. degree in law from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. He is skilled in providing legal assistance to startup companies, with exceptional experience in drafting, negotiating and reviewing commercial contracts. Baruch founded his own law firm in January 2010.
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Brig R.

Brig Ricks

98 reviews
I am a senior executive and strategic legal adviser with 19 years of experience providing legal services in international environments. I am a general counsel who can advis... read more
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Stacy D.

Stacy Dees

74 reviews
Stacy Dees has over 15 years of in-house legal counsel experience that she brings to every legal task she performs. Her solution-oriented approach focuses on the problem so you don't have to. She can deal with contract review, debt or equity transactions, acquisitions, licensing, and more. Whether you are a large company or just getting started, Ms. Dees can help with your legal needs.
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Thomas L.

Thomas Love

70 reviews
Holder of seven patents, Thomas Love has a work history spanning from a partnership in a major firm (specializing in international corporate finance) to working at a number of startups, including in software, global supply chain, and online education. Today, Mr. Love represents clients worldwide and has provided his services to non-profits in theater, women’s empowerment, medical education, and more.
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Dean S.

Dean Sage

62 reviews
Dean Sage is an attorney at law with over seven years of experience. He is licensed to practice law in California and obtained his legal degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Dean is experienced in dealing with legal matters related to real estate law, tax law and business formation. He is also skilled in legal research and writing, as well as drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
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Rhea D.

Rhea De Aenlle

57 reviews
Rhea de Aenlle is a business-savvy attorney with extensive experience in Privacy & Data Security (CIPP/US, CIPP/E), GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, FERPA, Intellectual Property, and... read more
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Sam G.

Sam Goldstein

53 reviews
Bankruptcy Consultant for Businesses/Individuals considering Chapter 7, 11, or 13 filings, handling both consultation and representation. Small Business professional exp... read more
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Terri B.

Terri Benton

42 reviews
Terri Benton is a business attorney who has been practicing law for the last five years. She is licensed to practice law in Georgia and has a Juris Doctor degree in law, which she obtained from the Mercer University – Walter F. George School of Law. She specializes in commercial contracts and often assists startup companies with their legal matters. Terri is also experienced at legal research and writing. She has been a general counselor at the Reunion Group since March 2014.
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Jessica H.

Jessica Holcombe

38 reviews
Jessica Holcombe founded the Holcombe Law Group to represent emerging and established companies in key aspects of operations and strategic goals. She draws on her experience from working with technology, clean energy, medical services, real estate, and telecom companies and from acting as first general counsel at Boyett Petroleum, the largest fuel retailer and distributor in Northern California.
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Chelsie C.

Chelsie Campbell

37 reviews
Chelsie is a Legal Strategist for her clients focused on planning and protecting her client's company's, while offering advice based on first-hand experience in both Corpor... read more
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Carmelo C.

Carmelo Chimera

37 reviews
10 years ago, I graduated from the University of Chicago Law School, and since then I've practiced at some of the world's largest law firms. I've also been a business owner... read more
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Erin H.

Erin Hudson

34 reviews
Erin graduated magna cum law from Baylor Law School, clerked for a federal judge, cut her teeth at an AmLaw 200 firm, and spent over a decade representing businesses in com... read more
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Zach S.

Zach Splain

29 reviews
Zachary is a graduate of Case Western Reserve School of Law and has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Dayton. Zachary has experience with complex and... read more
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Drew S.

Drew Stokesbary

29 reviews
Drew Stokesbary is a corporate lawyer that primarily specializes in providing legal assistance to startup companies. He has been licensed to practice law in Washington for the past four years. Drew received a legal degree after he graduated from the Notre Dame Law School. He specializes in legal cases related to securities and finances, as well as labor and employment law. In July 2015, Drew founded a law boutique, Stokesbary PPLC, where he now acts as a managing member.
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Nina Y.

Nina Yablok

28 reviews
Hi and welcome. I've been a business attorney for 46 years, 39 of them in Silicon Valley. I've represented companies in all industries, but my main target now is helping te... read more
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John R.

John Ray

26 reviews
John is the Principal of the Ray Legal Consulting Group and has over 12 years of complex class action litigation and appellate experience. He has special expertise in discrimination, First Amendment, and intellectual property/media litigation. John also takes on civil rights cases for individual clients, which can have a significant impact on the rights of women, racial minorities, and other groups.
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Sean L.

Sean Lowe

26 reviews
Sean is a tenacious business attorney who graduated at the top of his class from UCLA School of Law. He started his law career by working for a federal judge and a supreme ... read more
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Muhammad M.

Muhammad Matariyeh

23 reviews
Muhammad is an attorney and former CPA with over 13 years of experience assisting multinational organizations in corporate and tax matters. He consulted several Fortune 500... read more
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Brandon P.

Brandon Pittard

22 reviews
I've spent the majority of my legal career in house at various companies, and know how to balance legal risk against the needs of a business. As legal counsel at several di... read more
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David D.

David Dopsovic

22 reviews
David has practiced law in Federal government agency enforcement positions and for over 30 years with Chicago, New York City and Washington, DC law firms representing domes... read more
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John Allen W.

John Allen Waldrop

21 reviews
Waldrop & Colvin is a Virginia based law firm with premier talent delivering a boutique experience. We serve national clients in various industries with locations world... read more
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Dmitriy I.

Dmitriy Ishimbayev

19 reviews
Dmitriy started his firm in 2015 to help small businesses and startups in New York and New Jersey. While running a retail business prior to starting his legal career, Dmitr... read more
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Justin W. J.

Justin W. Jones

19 reviews
I am an IRS Enrolled Agent, allowing me to represent taxpayers before the IRS in all 50 states. I am also admitted to practice in the US Tax Court. Over 10 years experien... read more
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Niq H.

Niq Howard

15 reviews
I want your business to succeed as much as you do, which is why I help create strategies and solutions that fit the unique needs of you and your Intellectual Property. Work... read more
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Gene R.

Gene Rhough

15 reviews
Harvard Law/MIT grad, only 5 star reviews, UpCounsel top 25% (“stellar” badge). Practiced at top law firm Wilson Sonsini (they took Google, Apple public). VP at F500 compan... read more
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Stephan H.

Stephan Holmquist

15 reviews
Served as transactional and litigation counsel to clients ranging from start-ups to government entities to publicly traded, Fortune 50 companies. Served as outside genera... read more
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Sonrisa L.

Sonrisa Lewis, Esq.

14 reviews
HELPING REAL PEOPLE AND SMALL BUSINESSES GET ANSWERS, REDUCE STRESS, AND THRIVE! As an attorney of 10 years, Sonrisa has varied experience supporting individuals, busine... read more
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James L. M.

James L. Moultrie Ⅲ

13 reviews
James L. Moultrie III is a partner of the law firm Haysbert | Moultrie LLP. He specializes in business, entertainment, intellectual property, and investments. James possess... read more
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Eric B.

Eric Broad

13 reviews
I’m the Founder and CEO of Bowery Legal, a firm composed of startup and venture capital lawyers and entrepreneurs who have worked at big law firms such as Latham & Watk... read more
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Alicia D.

Alicia Dearn

12 reviews
Alicia I. Dearn is an experienced trial lawyer and businesswoman. For twenty years, Ms. Dearn has been a trusted advisor for businesses and individuals alike in the areas o... read more
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Michael M.

Michael Mowery

11 reviews
I have lived and understand your opportunities and challenges. As a global corporate legal executive and social sector entrepreneur, I’ve partnered with a broad range of bu... read more
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Lena K.

Lena Kempe

11 reviews
Lena graduated from Yale Law School. She is a business savvy attorney with more than 15 years of experience advising C-level executives and Boards of Directors on a variety... read more
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Ken E.

Ken Emanuelson

11 reviews
Over 20 years of experience securing, prosecuting and asserting his clients’ intellectual property rights. Specializing in a wide variety of intellectual property assets... read more
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Carl A.

Carl Anderson

2 reviews
Carl is nationally recognized for his expertise in complex cybersecurity, data breach and privacy issues especially in regard to regulatory compliance. Carl is an innovativ... read more
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Benjamin S.

Benjamin Snipes

1 review
Benjamin Snipes has been practicing corporate, tax and securities law for 20 years both in-house with multinational corporations and startups, and in private practice. Ben ... read more
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Why use UpCounsel to form your C Corporation in District of Columbia?

Confused by complicated questionnaires and government forms? Want to get your questions answered by a real attorney? UpCounsel provides personalized legal services with experienced attorneys to help form your District of Columbia C Corp the right way.
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Why use UpCounsel to form an C Corporation in District of Columbia

Starting an C Corporation in District of Columbia with a business startup attorney on UpCounsel is easy, informative, and cost-effective. In just three simple steps, our C Corporation attorneys will help you protect your business and personal assets, and help you organize your business for state and federal compliance for an C Corporation.

When forming an C Corporation in District of Columbia with UpCounsel, the attorney you choose to help you will conduct a business name search for your District of Columbia corporation and assist you in preparing your C Corporation Operating Agreement, along with providing other legal services based on your needs. Once your Articles of Incorporation have been prepared and successfully filed with the District of Columbia Corporation Commission, your District of Columbia corporation has been formed and begins its existence as a Corporation entity.

However, a corporation does not register as an C Corporation with the Corporation Commission. It registers as a corporation with the state and then may file for C Corporation status with the IRS. C Corporation status is a taxation category which provides income tax advantages to small businesses.

Requirements for Forming a District of Columbia C Corporation

Choosing a Company Name for Your C Corporation

One of the first steps in the process of forming your CA C Corporation is to choose your business name.

The business name that you choose must contain "Association", "Company", "Corporation", "Limited", "Incorporated", or an abbreviation of one of these words in their name. It must be distinguishable (not the same as or deceptively similar to) the name of an S Corp or foreign C Corporation reserved or registered.

Your C Corporation name may contain the name of one or more members.

By using UpCounsel, you can choose several business names in order of preference. Your attorney of choice can then conduct a name check for your District of Columbia S Corp before filing to see which names are available. Once you have chosen an available name, your chosen C Corporation attorney can help you properly register your name with the State of District of Columbia.

Articles of Organization: When forming an C Corporation in the District of Columbia, the Articles of Organization must be filed with the the District of Columbia Corporations Division. District of Columbia law requires that certain information be included in your Articles of Organization when forming your the District of Columbia C Corporation.

This information must include:

  1. The C-Corp's name and address.
  2. The C-Corp's purpose.
  3. The C-Corp's registered agent's name, address, and signature (accepting the position).

Additionally, a District of Columbia C Corporation formation generally requires inclusion and/or consideration of the following:

C Corporation Operating Agreement: Although the C Corporation Operating Agreement is not required with the Articles of Organization, it is a good idea for every C Corporation with more than one member to have one. The Articles of Organization may contain restrictions or prohibitions on the power of the members to adopt, amend, or repeal an operating agreement. the District of Columbia recognizes operating agreements as governing documents.

Membership: A C Corporation must have one or more members.

Eligibility Requirements: A natural person or an entity.

Procedure for Membership: The member may acquire an interest in the C Corporation directly from the C Corporation at the time of formation and, after formation, at the time provided in and upon compliance with the Articles of Organization or the operating agreement or, if not provided, only upon the vote of a majority in interest of the C Corporation members, excluding the vote of the person acquiring the membership interest, and only when the person becomes a party to the C-Corp's operating agreement.

Business Licenses: Business licenses and/or permits are required for most C-Corp's offering specific professional services. Contact the the District of Columbia Corporations Division for specific licenses.

Additionally, a District of Columbia C Corporation formation generally requires inclusion and/or consideration of the following:

C Corporation Operating Agreement: Although the C Corporation Operating Agreement is not required with the Articles of Incorporation, it is a good idea for every C Corporation with more than one member to have one. The Articles of Incorporation may contain restrictions or prohibitions on the power of the members to adopt, amend, or repeal an operating agreement. District of Columbia recognizes operating agreements as governing documents.

Membership: A C Corporation must have one or more members.

Eligibility Requirements: A natural person or an entity.

Procedure for Membership: The member may acquire an interest in the C Corporation directly from the C Corporation at the time of formation and, after formation, at the time provided in and upon compliance with the Articles of Incorporation or the operating agreement or, if not provided, only upon the vote of a majority in interest of the C Corporation members, excluding the vote of the person acquiring the membership interest, and only when the person becomes a party to the C-Corp's operating agreement.

Business Licenses: Business licenses and/or permits are required for most C-Corp's offering specific professional services. Contact the District of Columbia State Corporations Commission for specific licenses.

Resident Agent needed for a the District of Columbia C Corporation

Remember, every District of Columbia C Corporation must have a registered agent in the state, which is the person or office designated to receive official state correspondence and notice if the company is "served" with a lawsuit. The registered agent may be a full-time resident of the District of Columbia or a business entity that has authority to transact business in the District of Columbia. A physical District of Columbia street address is required of the registered agent.

The District of Columbia Corporations Division

Once you create an C Corporation in the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Corporations Division will require that certain recurring responsibilities and duties be fulfilled. The most important of these are explained below.

For further information, contact the the District of Columbia Corporations Division.

Recurring Responsibilities and Duties for District of Columbia C Corporations

Biennial Reports: Every District of Columbia C Corporation must submit a biannual report to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. This must be accompanied by a registration fee of $300. You must file using the Two-Year Report for Domestic & Foreign Filing Entity, Form BRA-25. Your first biennial report should be filed by April 1 after the year of C Corporation formation. After that, you will be required to file biennial reports every other April 1st. You should include in the report:

  1. C-Corp's name
  2. State where C Corporation first organized
  3. C-Corp's principal office address
  4. C-Corp's registered agent name and address
  5. Names and business addresses of managers (if applicable)

Records: Each the District of Columbia C Corporation must keep complete Corporation records open to inspection at its principal office.

Filing Fees for a District of Columbia C Corporation

The processing fee for the Articles of Organization is generally about $220. Also, the filing and reservation of the C-Corp's name is $50. These fees can change so it would be best to check with the the District of Columbia Corporations Division on what the latest fees are. You may pay these fees in many different forms including cash, check, money orders, or debit and credit cards.

Taxes for a District of Columbia C Corporation

California C Corporation shareholders do not report any of the business income and expense on their individual tax return. The corporation files tax returns and pays its income taxes (at generally lower tax rates than would individuals) while the individual shareholders report and pay personal income taxes only on monies paid them by the corporation.

It should be noted that shareholders are required to pay personal income taxes on income from dividends paid by a C Corporation even though income taxes have previously been paid by the corporation. This leads to what is commonly referred to as "double taxation".

California state law follows federal law for income tax purposes. Therefore if a corporation is classified as an association taxable as a C Corporation for federal income tax purposes, so will it be taxable as a corporation for state tax purposes.

Federal Income Tax: For federal income tax purposes, a C- Corp is recognized as a separate taxpaying entity. A corporation conducts business, realizes net income or loss, pays taxes and distributes profits to shareholders.

District of Columbia State Income Tax: District of Columbia C Corporations are exempt to the income tax to the extent that their income is not subject to federal income tax.

Federal Tax Identification Number: Your corporation will need to obtain a federal tax identification number, which is also known as an Employment Identification Number (EIN). You do not need to get a new EIN after the corporation choose to become a C Corporation An EIN is similar to an individual's social security number. You will need an EIN for your C Corporation as long as there is one member, even if the C Corporation does not have employees. For certain tax filing requirements the attorney you choose on UpCounsel can help prepare your Federal Tax ID Application, if you have not done so already.

Start Your Business Off Right with an Affordable C Corporation Attorney in District of Columbia

Start Your Company Off Right with Affordable C Corporation Attorneys in District of Columbia

Connect with Top District of Columbia C Corporation Formation Attorneys & Lawyers

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