Do you use a company name or your name?

BluesCam

Well-known member
Just wondering how many of you use a company name or just do business under your own name. If under your own name, did you get a separate TIN #?

Thx.
 
Company name but it is Tirrell productions so pretty much the same as my name. I took the weak trademark approach because I didn't want to run afoul of another existing production company which would have happened had I chosen any of the first 10+ company names I came up with.
 

BluesCam

Well-known member
Thank you. I have used a company name since I started, but I just closed down the corporate status of it, since I am semi retired now. My accountant said if I wanted to work occasionally, I should revert to sole prop. and do a DBA. Thanks agn.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
I've been a sole proprietor/DBA since day one. Ive never had a huge incentive to be incorporated. BUT I may go that route now, because of one of my clients and their(or their legal depts) interpretation of Obamacare.
 
Use a company name LLC. Most that know me simply ask for me by my name but invoices come from and are payable to the company.
 

BluesCam

Well-known member
If you are a sole prop and not incorporated, you may need liability insurance.
If I decide to get going again as a sole prop, I will get a separate IRS TIN and not use my social number.
 

Starman

Well-known member
Jacques Star Video Productions, LLC. Sole Proprietorship, listed legally as an LLC. Used to be inc. but no need. Just abbreviate to Star Video Productions. I've Googled myself and was pretty happy with the results
 
If you are a sole prop and not incorporated, you may need liability insurance.
If I decide to get going again as a sole prop, I will get a separate IRS TIN and not use my social number.
You should have it either way as a lot of venues require the 1 or even 2 mil liability policy for any kind of subcontractor working on their property. As for the EIN or TIN it is the only way to go it will significantly limit the exposure of your personal SSN.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
I got an EIN when I first started and used it most of the time, then I got audited and the IRS couldn't "find" it(!). Went back to my SS# and have stuck with it since.

Obviously you shouldn't just toss your SS# out haphazardly like it means nothing, but it's not the super secretive thing that we've all been led to believe. So I think if your sole reason for not using it is for protection of your magic number, you're wasting you're time. Your number is out there in a lot more places than you probably realize.
 
True but it is more about limiting the liability. I figure if I work around 100 days a year for anywhere from 30-100 clients for thirty years than that means that my SSN exists in an additional 900 to 3000 places that my information exists. By no means is it some magical number but it is rather inconvenient to have to have one reissued due to fraud. If I recall when my brother had his stolen and sold they had to reissue it and there is an arbitrary limit to how many times they will reissue your SSN.
 

Cameradude

Well-known member
"...If you are a sole prop and not incorporated, you may need liability insurance...."

You need liability insurance either way.

If you are a sole proprietor and drop an Arri on someones head YOU will get sued.

If you are a corporation and you drop an Arri on someones head YOU will get sued and so will your corporation.

As for the original question, the EIN, SSN, TIN are all really inconsequential because you have to pay the tax man if you are operating legitimately. The only thing incorporation will get you is a savings on your social security tax of around 7 1/2%. The additional accounting issues of being incorporated may outweigh the possible net gain.
 
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