Galvis & Co. strives to provide personalized, well-rounded legal and business advice and vetted referrals to our network of professional service providers to our small- and medium-sized business clients and freelancers.

We have had great success helping our clients source and hire accountants to help with bookkeeping and tax preparation, dedicated project managers that can help with anything from social media management to business operation and development projects, to personalized services including publicity services and assistance with local M/WBE and other minority- and disadvantaged-business application preparation and certification.

We have also been successful at helping creative freelancers and other self-employed individuals and small businesses receive payment for their services using personalized firm correspondence and New York’s “Freelance Isn’t Free” Act. If you have provided services to a person or entity, have a written agreement between you and the client listing the terms under which the services were provided, and have NOT been compensated for rendering those services, please ask us how we can help!

FAQs about starting a small business and other common DIY mistakes:

Q: “A new client recently called to hire our company’s services for a specific project. They want to pay by check. Should the check be made payable to me in my name or to my LLC’s name ?”

A: If you have an S-Corp. or LLC, it is always preferable that the name of your company be the one to appear on any work contracts and be used for any check payments. It is always a good idea to keep a healthy separation between your personal life and expenses and your business’s life and expenses. The two are separate and should never be combined for any reason. If someone is hiring you to perform professional services and you have formed an LLC or S-Corp., it is a good rule to have any payments sent to the LLC’s business banking account (if being paid by wire) or to have the client make any checks payable to your company’s name and not your legal name. For more information on this issue or if you need help with drafting a work contract or getting paid from a client, feel free to send us a message with your questions using our Contact Us page.

Q: “I recently started my own business, but don’t know how to open a business banking account. I also don’t know how to get ready for tax season next year. Is that something an attorney can help me with?”

A: Not directly, but we can find someone to help you. While we are not a bank or an accounting firm, our law firm prides itself on not only helping our clients start their new business, but also helping them find the people and services that are necessary to keep their business organized and operational. Once we form your new company, or if you hire us after you’ve formed one, we can help you check important items off your “new business to-do list”, such as:

• Setting up your new federal identification number (also known as an EIN number)
• Provide referrals to our trusted bank vendors who can help you set up a business banking account for your new company
• Provide referrals to experienced, affordable bookkeeping services to help keep your income and expenses organized and properly recorded in a timely fashion
• Provide referrals to our trusted contacts for tax preparation filings for you and your new business
• Provide vetted referrals to our trusted network of seasoned attorneys in various specialty legal areas

An experienced tax preparer or certified public accountant (or “CPA”) can help you plan for tax season and provide guidance on how to organize your business’s income and expenses so you can maximize time and accuracy (and any returns, of course!) come April 15th. For example, you may have heard or read that some entities, like LLC’s, have to pay quarterly taxes, not annual taxes. This question is definitely one you should ask an experienced, certified accountant as early as possible. For more information on this issue or if you need help finding a tax accountant or business banking provider, feel free to send us a message with your questions using our Contact Us page.

If you are a freelancer or own a startup or small business, we can also help you:

• Register your new company’s trademark(s) for your brand’s name, logo, jingle, or slogan
• Draft any necessary business contracts so you can hire contractors or employees or partner with other brands or companies
• Recommend experienced project managers to help you with things like digital marketing, social media management, and web design services
• Draft any agreements needed for your company’s new website (privacy policies and terms of use)