A business conducted by a sole proprietor has no existence apart from its owner. The income and expenses of the business are reported as a separate schedule to the owner's income tax return. For additional information contact Department of Revenue (DOR). You may also be liable for unemployment insurance taxes.
Partnerships, limited partnerships or limited liability partnerships must file an information return to report the income, deductions, gains, losses, etc., from its operations, but it does not pay income tax. Instead, it "passes through" any profits or losses to its partners. Each partner includes his or her share of the partnership's items on his or her tax return. The partnership may also have other tax reporting requirements with Department of Revenue (DOR) and unemployment insurance taxes. (Apply for EIN from IRS on Form SS-4.)
A corporation generally takes the same deductions as a sole proprietor to figure its taxable income and may also take special deductions. The profit of a corporation is taxed to the corporation when earned and then is taxed to the shareholders when distributed as dividends. However, shareholders cannot deduct any loss of the corporation. An "S" corporation is a corporation that has established eligibility with IRS for "flow-through" treatment of gain/loss directly to the shareholders. (Apply for EIN from IRS on Form SS-4.)
A tax treatment for members of a limited liability company may differ, depending on whether the member is a corporation, a partnership, or an individual. Consult the state Department of Revenue (DOR) and the IRS for particulars. The company may also be liable for unemployment insurance taxes. (Apply for EIN from IRS on Form SS-4.)