Registering your studio name - in PA

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Sammigz
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Registering your studio name - in PA

Post by Sammigz » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:28 am

I just started a studio at my home.

I was curious how you went about registering your studio name - especially if you're in the state of PA.

I'm not sure if I should do a ficticious name, LLC, etc.
It's very confusing trying to figure out the states website!

I don't plan on having any paid employees until this gets off the ground. And it will be at my home so I won't be paying anything extra for rent, etc. Not sure if this kind of stuff affects how I should register.

Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks.
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Gregg Juke
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Post by Gregg Juke » Fri Apr 24, 2015 9:40 am

You should be able to at least register a DBA ("doing business as") with your county. That will protect your name in the area, and allow you to open a business checking account, file a tax statement under your business name, etc., if you are going "legit." You may want to look and see if the name you are thinking of is already being used elsewhere, as that may effect your ability to register a website domain (if that is part of your plan).

Even though (especially!) the business is in your home, and you won't be using employees, you will want to look at insurance. Your homeowner's or renter's insurance will most likely _not_ cover your equipment if you are using it professionally, and it will also not cover liability for accidents with clients and others that come to your home for sessions. Having a liability policy in the correct amount is important. That segues into the possibility of filing some kind of incorporation paperwork (LLC, for example), to protect you from being sued _personally_ (rather than as a business) if someone trips on a rug, falls down your stairs, and winds-up seeking $1,000,000 damages (which would expose your personal assets).

But the simple answer to your initial question is probably filing a sole proprietorship as a DBA.

PS-- I'm not an accountant or an attorney, and the above text should not be misconstrued as legal advice.

GJ
Gregg Juke
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templejazz82
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Post by templejazz82 » Thu Jun 18, 2015 4:48 pm

You should contact Glen Farracone, who runs The Music Centre in Exton, right on 113, near 100. He should steer you in the right direction.

Sammigz
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Post by Sammigz » Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:52 am

templejazz82 wrote:You should contact Glen Farracone, who runs The Music Centre in Exton, right on 113, near 100. He should steer you in the right direction.
Excellent. Thanks man, I'll do that.
I actually attended his audio engineering classes, and they were great. Very cool guy with a nice place.
HP s5-1110, Windows 7, Intel core i5-2500k CPU@303GHz, 8GB, 64 bit OS-
StudioOne Pro 2.6, Tascam FW1884 & FE8, Focusrite MKII Dynamic, Presonus Monitor Station, Oxygen49-
M-Audio BX5a's, Equator D8's, Audio-Technica ATH-M50's-

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