C Corporation. If you own shares in your own business, you should consider owning your shares in an LLC. This week we discuss regular C Corporations and not the special restrictions on S Corporations. A “regular” corporation is a corporation that is subject to paying corporate income taxes and is taxed under Subchapter C of Chapter 1 of the US Internal Revenue Code, hence the reference to “C” Corporations.

Transfer to LLC. If you own shares in any corporation and there is a personal judgment against you, then a court usually has the power to order a sale of those shares to pay off the personal judgment against you. This applies equally to your ownership in Google or Sam’s Deli, Inc. For an example, see Don’t Own Your Corporation. In contrast, with a LLC formed in Virginia, Delaware and certain other states, the court should not have the power to sell your membership interest in an LLC to satisfy a personal judgment against you.

Solution: Use an LLC to own your C Corporation shares. You do this by transferring your shares to the ownership of the LLC as long as you do not have the problems listed below.

Advantages:
1. Deter Lien Holders. It will be difficult to be able to take over your corporation if your shares are owned by your LLC.
2. Tax Neutral. If you select your LLC as a flow through entity, the ownership of the shares should not increase your taxes.
3. Spread Ownership. You can spread the ownership of your shares to family members without giving family members any rights to direct what happens with your corporation.
4. Income Tax Reduction. If some members of your LLC are in a lower tax bracket than you, this will reduce income taxes. This will be more important when dividend tax rates increase. Beware of the kiddy tax.
5. Estate Planning. The LLC can assist in the smooth transfer of shares in the event of death or disability and reduce estate taxes and avoid probate.

Cautions:
1. Make Sure Tax Neutral. Although such a transfer should be tax neutral, do not make this contribution until your tax advisors have reviewed it.
2. Buy Sell Agreements. If you have a buy sell agreement or other arrangement on share ownership with others, get their approval of the change. The LLC can be required to sell under the conditions of the buy sell agreement.
3. Corporations Owning Corporations. In many cases, there are tax advantages for one corporation to own its subsidiaries. You would probably use this LLC technique for the upper tier corporation. What we are talking about here is a closely held company without complex tiers of ownership.
4. Lender Restrictions. You may have to get permission of your lenders to do this.