The most pressing question from the last blog, Do you need a lawyer to start a non-profit?
Because none of the requirements in Michigan involve going in front of a judge, one could say no, but the taxes of a non-profit are complex. Here is what I’ve found steps wise for creating your own non-profit.
- Choose a board and hold a board meeting.
- Because non-profits are exempt from most taxes and donations to them are tax deductible, there needs to be a significant degree of supervision which is what the board will hopefully provide.
2) Choose a unique name.
- This is an important step to any process, as a name is truly the first impression of almost everything originally seen online. The state of Michigan has a website to ensure your name is unique at: https://www.lara.michigan.gov/apex/CORPORATIONS/f?p=210:1:1382833451444119
3) Submit non-profit articles of incorporation.
- This is the beginning of where you could need a lawyer. The form is five pages long and it involves a fee so you will want to get it right, The information in it is not overly complex, things like name and mission. Sometimes it is better to be safe than sorry, and a lawyer could never hurt.
4) Prepare Bylaws.
- Another safeguard against “bad” things
5) Keep good records and prepare for taxes.
- The first thing has to do with making sure there are records of decisions, rules and what happens in meetings. The second is because it is hard, this could be another lawyer opportunity.
The state of Michigan has all this avaible and more, another site I found helpful can be found here, http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/forming-nonprofit-corporation-michigan-36070.html
Tune in for thoughts on this process and my job shadowing process!
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