Opening a business bank account is one of the most important things you can do when starting a company. A business bank account plays a key role in growing your business while protecting it and yourself at the same time. It allows you to keep track of business expenses, simplify tax reporting, and deposit payments under your company name. This article outlines crucial reasons for opening a business bank account and what you will need in order to do it.
When Should You Open a Business Bank Account?
You should open a business bank account as soon as your business has an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or begins to accept or spend money.
The reason for this is that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires that any incorporated business have a business bank account. The rule applies whether the business is structured as a sole partnership, a partnership, a Limited Liability Company (LLC), or a corporation.
A sole partnership isn't required to open a business bank account, but you should get one anyway. A business bank account is a prerequisite for obtaining business loans. This is because lenders won't approve your business loans unless funds can be deposited into a business bank account.
Moreover, a business bank account is a must if you want to accept credit card payments for merchandise or services. If you have an e-commerce business, you'll need a business bank account to accept payments through your point-of-sale system.
Business Bank Account Advantages
A business bank account provides a simpler and more professional way to run your business. It makes it easier to manage your financials and protect your personal assets in case of a lawsuit.
Clean Financial Records
The main reason why it’s recommended to open a business bank account is that it alleviates problems that are caused by mixing your business and personal finances.
Opening a business account can help you separate business and personal expenses, allowing you to track your business cash flow. You’ll also have a better way of managing budgets with a clear overview of your spending and expenses.
Separating your personal and business bank accounts will help you manage and organize what is necessary for taxes and deductions at year-end. You will also have a clear audit trail.
Preserving Limited Liability
As a Limited Liability Company (LLC), opening a business bank account can protect the owner’s liability because you won’t be combining business and personal funds.
Since LLCs are separate legal entities from the individuals who own them, the owners can’t be held personally responsible for the debts that the company may accrue. However, there are some cases in which owners, members, or stakeholders are held personally liable for the company’s debts by the courts. This is referred to as “piercing the veil.” As a result, the owner’s personal assets, such as their home or personal investments, can be used to pay off the LLC’s debts.
One of the reasons why an LLC might have its veil pierced is for not adhering to corporate formalities, which include keeping detailed records of important decisions or holding annual meetings of stakeholders. It’s important for LLCs to follow the rules surrounding the formation and governance of the company.
Small LLCs are vulnerable to having their veils pierced due to their size and corporate practices.
One of the mistakes that many small businesses make is “commingling assets” by using business assets for personal needs or vice versa. This is prohibited. For example, a small business owner might use corporate assets to make an installment on a personal mortgage. So if you want to decrease the risk of putting your personal assets in jeopardy in the event of a lawsuit, then you need to adopt some protective legal measures. One of the most important things you can do is to keep your company’s bank account separate from your other accounts.
Saving Money
For tax purposes, you have to keep your personal and business income and expenses separate. Tracking business purchases and deposits in a separate bank account can help you manage budgets and financial transactions when it comes time to file taxes. Just think about how chaotic your checkbook would be if you used it for both personal and business transactions throughout the year. This mess could prove costly when tax season rolls around.
Also, there are clear guidelines that differentiate a business from a hobby, and only businesses are allowed to deduct expenses. However, if you use a personal account to manage your business transactions, the government will consider your business to be a hobby. In the case of an audit, this will become a difficult task when you have to look at every single transaction, no matter how small, to set personal apart from business.
Therefore, a separate bank account for your business will make it easier to show all your records to your accountant. Bear in mind that you have to file your business transactions in a different form from your personal tax information.
Bank Requirements For Business Entities
Here’s a basic overview of what you’ll need in order to open a business bank account based on your business entity type.
Sole Proprietorships
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business Address
- Mailing Address
- Personal identification
- Business license with the name of the business and the owner name(s)
- Certificate of assumed name or DBA
- Monthly credit card revenue for merchant account(s)
Partnerships
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business Address
- Mailing Address
- Personal identification
- Business license or business permit(s)
- Certificate of assumed name or DBA
- Partnership agreement
- Organizing document filed with the state
- Monthly credit card revenue for merchant account(s)
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business Address
- Mailing Address
- Registered Agent
- Personal identification
- Business license and business permit(s)
- Certificate of assumed name or DBA
- LLC Operating Agreement
- Articles of Organization
- Monthly credit card revenue for merchant account(s)
Corporations
- Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- Business Address
- Mailing Address
- Registered Agent
- Personal identification
- Business license or business permit(s)
- Certificate of assumed name or DBA
- Corporate bylaws
- Articles of incorporation
- Monthly credit card revenue for merchant account(s)
Applying for a Business Bank Account
If you have outstanding balances on credit cards, store cards, or overdrafts, it’s best to clear these (if you can) at least three months before submitting an application to open your business bank account. This helps because banks are wary about lending to those who might be overexposed financially.
As a business owner, you need to have a bank account that is suited to your LLC’s needs. With that in mind, included below are some other useful tips to consider when deciding to open a business bank account:
- Open a checking account as your first account. This is a good way to start on the right foot and separate your personal and business finances.
- Consider fee-free business bank accounts. If you don’t need to visit a bank for cash deposits, use this to save money on account fees.
You should shop around to make sure you find the lowest fees and the best benefits.
Here are some additional things to know and consider when choosing the right bank for your business.
- Introductory Offers - Many banks provide introductory offers, like free banking, for a certain period of time.
- Interest Rates for Lines of Credit - Some banks specialize in certain types of businesses and industries. Their custom offerings might better fit with your company’s needs when it comes to interest rates for lines of credit.
- Transaction Fees - Most business bank accounts charge transaction fees such as, for example, depositing checks.
- Early Termination Fees - These are associated fees when a party wants to end the agreement of the long-term bank contract.
- Minimum Account Balance Fees - Monthly fees can be waived if a minimum balance is maintained.
Business bank accounts have more functionality compared to personal bank accounts. The following are the most important features that business bank accounts offer to business owners.
- Protection - Business banking offers limited personal liability protection by keeping your business funds separate from your personal funds.
- Professionalism - Customers will be able to pay you with credit cards and make checks out to your business instead of to you. Writing checks out of a personal account will harm your business image.
- Preparedness - Business banking comes with the option of a line of credit and can be used in the event of an emergency for your business or for seasonal cash flow fluctuations or long cash flow cycles.
- Purchasing Power - Credit card accounts can help your business make large purchases and help establish a credit history for your business. On the other hand, if you mix personal and business accounts, then your individual credit history can be affected. With a separate business bank account, you are building a separate credit history.
Open a Business Bank Account Now
When your business starts receiving and spending money, it’s time to open a business bank account.
A business bank account allows you to keep track of expenses, manage employee pay, convey finances to investors, receive and deposit payments, and plan your budget more accurate.
In short, a business bank account will contribute to the success of your company. It is best to open your business bank account as part of the early formation of your LLC because it is a critical part of protecting your liability and managing your cash flow.
Ready to Open a Business Bank Account?
In order to open a business bank account, you will need to have a real physical address.
VirtualPostMail (VPM) gives its clients an efficient and simple way to obtain a true physical address that complies with all the current regulations to open a business bank account with ease.