Business Bank Account

Keep your business totally separate from your personal bank account. As soon as you get serious about following the rules and growing your business, you must take this step. There are two very simple reasons why you need a separate bank account for your business:

1. Personal Tax Problems: It's not just an issue of paying business taxes. If your personal finances are audited, you can get in legal trouble for not reporting you entire income.
2. Business Deductions: If you make business expenses from a personal bank account, it isn't provable to your tax agency that the expenses were truly business-related. Consequently, you might not be able to deduct your business costs from your taxable income.

Save yourself the risk and start your business right. Get a bank account for your business.

Consider using a credit union instead of a traditional bank for your banking needs. Credit unions are not-for-profit organizations owned collectively by members. In general, credit unions have the following advantages over traditional banks:

• Lower fees
• Better customer service
• Community promotional opportunities

A note: shop around for the bank/credit union that will best fit the needs of your new business. Look for account fees, checking services, checking fees, credit/loan options, government guarantee of deposited funds, and online banking options.