C corporations advantages & disadvantages

What is a C corporation?

A C corporation (also known as a “C Corp”) is a legal entity that protects the owners’ personal assets from creditors. It can have an unlimited number of owners and multiple classes of stock. These characteristics and other advantages make it a good vehicle for attracting venture capital and other types of equity financing. Unlike an S Corporation or an LLC, it pays taxes at the corporate level. This means it is subject to the disadvantage of double taxation. As well, a C corp also must comply with many more federal and state requirements than an LLC.

C corporations provide the following considerable advantages:

• Separate legal identity
• Limited liability for the owners
• Perpetual existence
• Separation between ownership and management
• No restrictions on who can hold shares
• Readily transferable shares
• Well-established legal precedents
• Widespread acceptance by the venture capitalists and other investors
• Ability to offer stock options 
• Tax planning opportunities

CT tip: Keep in mind that shareholders can opt out of some of these advantages. For example, a corporation can provide in its articles of incorporation that it will exist for a specified number of years, there can be agreements to restrict the transfer of shares, and shareholders can agree to be responsible for the corporation’s debts.

What can these C corporation advantages mean to your business?

A corporation is separate from its owners

Once formed, a corporation has a life of its own, with its own rights, capabilities, responsibilities, and liabilities. This means that a corporation can sue (or be sued) in its own name. It can buy, own, and use its own real or personal property, make its own contracts and guarantees, lend money and invest funds.

A corporation offers owners limited liability protection

Because a corporation is a separate entity, its debts, obligations, and liabilities are it's own. Those who do business with a corporation must look to the company to satisfy any obligations owed to them, and not to the shareholders. The shareholders' exposure to loss is limited to the amount invested in the corporation.

A corporation has a perpetual existence

Because a corporation exists separately from its shareholders, it has what’s called a perpetual existence. For example, if the owner of a sole proprietorship dies, the business ceases to exist. This isn’t the case with a corporation., Once a corporation is formed, it continues to exist until it is dissolved, wound up and liquidated, unless its articles of incorporation provide otherwise. What’s more, the transfer of shares of stock has no impact on the existence of the corporation.

Free transferability of shares

A share of corporate stock provides both economic and management rights. A shareholder can freely sell those shares and the buyer will become the shareholder with all of those rights. A member in an LLC can sell his or her economic rights but not the management rights. Unless the operating agreement provides otherwise, the LLC member has to get consent from other members to sell the whole interest and have the buyer become a member.

C corporations are more attractive to investors

One advantage of a C corp over an S corp or LLC is that it has an easier time attracting investors, including obtaining capital through equity financing. Owning shares is generally considered preferable to owning LLC membership interests. Also, venture capitalists prefer to invest in C corporations. And, in fact, many venture capitalists cannot invest in S corporations or LLCs because of restrictions in their own governing documents and the tax laws. In addition, companies planning an IPO generally prefer corporations to LLCs and cannot choose S corporation tax status because of the 100-shareholder limit. It may also be easier for a corporation to obtain bank financing. This factor can be especially important for capital-intensive businesses.

No restrictions are placed on shareholders

Unless the corporation's governing documents provide otherwise, there are no restrictions on who can own stock in a C corporation. Conversely, tax laws restrict who can own stock in an S corporation. For example, individuals who are not US citizens or resident aliens cannot own stock in an S corporation. Corporations and LLCs cannot be S corporation shareholders either. There is also a 100-shareholder limit for S corporations.

Shareholders do not directly manage the corporation

Corporations are managed by a board of directors who appoint the officers who run the day-to-day operations. This is provided for in every state corporation law. A shareholder is entitled to economic benefits based upon the number and types of shares owned, but the shareholder does not have the right to manage the day-to-day affairs of the corporation. Shareholders’ management rights are limited to electing directors, removing directors under certain circumstances, voting on certain major structure changes, such as mergers or dissolution, and inspecting certain books and records.

CT tip: Some states have a statutory close corporation law that allows shareholders to manage without a board of directors, but this is a limited exception.

Corporate law is well-established

Operating as the oldest type of formal entity can be an advantage because there are few surprises left in corporate law. While states struggle to establish what corporate precedents transfer to the LLC, most of the essentials that apply to corporations are well-established. This makes it possible for management to better predict the legal consequences of their decisions and for investors to know the impact of changes in corporate structure, which permits them to draft agreements to protect themselves.

Corporations provide multiple tax planning opportunities

Operating as a corporation may involve additional complexity, but it also provides a wide array of tax planning opportunities across the business life cycle. The tax implications of being a C corporation versus an S corporation or LLC should be discussed with a trusted tax adviser.

What are the disadvantages of a C corporation?

While there are benefits gained from C corporation status, there are some downsides as well. are Two major disadvantages include:

Complexity

A corporation is more complex to operate than an LLC. The corporation laws require more formalities in how a corporation is managed. For example, shareholder and director meetings are required. Proper notice must be given, and minutes kept. In contrast, LLCs can be managed more informally. Corporation laws also tend to have stricter record-keeping requirements.

Double taxation

A corporation is a separate tax-paying entity unless it makes an election to be taxed as an S corporation. This means a C corporation pays corporate income tax on its income, after offsetting income with losses, deductions, and credits. A corporation pays its shareholders dividends from its after-tax income. The shareholders then pay personal income taxes on the dividends. This is the often-mentioned “double taxation”. However, there are ways to reduce or eliminate double taxation that a tax adviser can recommend.

Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a C corporation against your business needs

As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to operating as a C corporation. Your accountant and attorney can help you evaluate whether this is a good fit for your business and your growth plans.

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