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How do I file a Certificate of Assumed Name for Forever Green Consulting in Lansing, MI?
Wendy asked: “I will be consulting dental offices on how to move from paper charts to paperless. I'm debating whether to register a DBA, since my legal name is different from the name I plan to market under. Is a DBA required?”
Hi Wendy, Forever Green Consulting is an exciting name to see on a new business in Lansing. The name comes first: Michigan handles it with a Certificate of Assumed Name, sometimes called a DBA or assumed name or DBA. Below you will find how Michigan treats a business name, whether a newspaper notice is involved, and the other registrations Forever Green Consulting needs.
Yes, if you market as Forever Green Consulting and that is not your legal name, a Certificate of Assumed Name is what Michigan calls the DBA, and it is the right tool for this. Michigan shows no newspaper-publication requirement for it. Without it, a dental office would have to write a check to your legal name, and checks made out to Forever Green Consulting would be a headache to deposit. A DBA is only a name, and an LLC would add liability protection if you ever want it. Dental practices are used to paperwork, so show them yours is tidy.
How Michigan handles a business name
In Michigan, a business name other than your own legal name is registered as a Certificate of Assumed Name, which you will also hear called assumed name or DBA. Sole proprietors and general partnerships using a name other than their own, and corporations, LLCs and other entities using a name other than their legal name, must file one, and each name needs its own certificate.
Newspaper publication: We found no newspaper-publication requirement for this registration in Michigan.
How long it lasts: A filing lasts five years and is renewed before it expires.
What Forever Green Consulting needs
- Certificate of Assumed Name – Registering "Forever Green Consulting" puts the name on the public record under your ownership, and it is what banks, suppliers, and landlords usually ask to see.
- Name check – Choose a name that is easy to spell and not confusingly close to a business already operating nearby. Registering a DBA announces your use of the name, but only a trademark gives you exclusive rights to it.
- LLC (limited liability company) – A DBA creates no separate legal entity and no liability protection; an LLC keeps business debts and lawsuits separate from your personal home and savings. If a client blames your strategy for a failed fundraising campaign and sues for lost donations, an LLC keeps your personal savings out of the dispute. If you form the LLC under the exact name Forever Green Consulting LLC, the LLC filing itself protects that name and you will not need a separate DBA for it. Non-US residents can own an LLC too; the EIN application simply follows a different path.
- EIN (federal tax ID number) – You plan on 1 employee, so the federal tax ID number (EIN) is required for payroll, and you will use it for the business bank account opened in the registered name.
- Michigan sales tax license – A pure service usually is not taxable, so you may not need it. If you also sell products, supplies, or gift cards, register before the first sale.
- Michigan employer ID – With 1 employee, you need a state employer account number for payroll withholding and unemployment insurance. It works like the EIN, but for state payroll taxes.
- Business license – Governments license businesses so they can collect a modest tax and keep inspectors checking safety. Plan on a local business license for Forever Green Consulting in Lansing.
By the numbers: Banks, insurers, and tax forms will ask for your industry code. For a consulting business it is NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services). With 1 employee planned, you are already creating jobs in Lansing. That makes 7 items on your list.
Tip: Use an engagement letter that defines scope, deliverables, fees, and what you are not responsible for.
To recap: Forever Green Consulting in Lansing, MI needs a Certificate of Assumed Name, a name check, an LLC, an EIN, a state employer ID, and a business license. Get those in place and you can spend your time on customers instead of paperwork.
We can file your business name registration and the other paperwork for you: start here. |