Oregon. The only state with different designs on the two sides of its flag. You have more ghost towns than any other state. You house Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the States created from an ancient volcano. You share a birthday with St. Valentine and Portland is known as the City of Roses. Oregon, you're both tough and romantic. Salt-of the-earth and as contemporarily trendy as they come. Congrats.
Oregon is also a diverse and welcoming state in which to register your small escort business, and in this article you'll find clear step-by-step advice on how to do just that. For more information on why it's vitally important to register your business, refer to our article Don't get busted for tax evasion: Why registering your escort business is the only option.
For some helpful advice on picking out a business name, visit Business.gov.
For more information on why you should register your business name and specifics for doing so in Oregon, visit the State of Oregon Central Business Registry.
Step four: Register your business / business name
The state of Oregon has given you this nifty little thing called online business registration. You can easily sign up at the Oregon Central Business Registry to register your business and get helpful resources.
Sole Proprietorship:
In Oregon you are not required to register your sole proprietorship escort business as a separate business entity: because the business is you, it is not recognized as a separate business and you'll file your business information along with your own personal taxes. You are also not required to register your business name if it is your name.
But if you take on a DBA name, you'll have to file an Assumed Business Name Registration form with the Secretary of State. This contains basic ownership information and a $50 registration fee. You can file online or download the form at the Oregon Secretary of State » Assumed Business Name Registration. Keep in mind that registering this name will make it public on the state's website.
For more information on if taking on a DBA is a good choice for your business, refer to our article Do I want to be a sole proprietor?
Partnership:
In Oregon you are not required to register your general partnership as a separate business entity. However, it is highly recommended that you draft a statement of partnership or partnership agreement. This document will safeguard the details you've outlined within the partnership should you come into conflict with a partner down the road.
You are also not required to register your business name if it is the collected names of the partners. But if you take on a DBA name, you'll have to file an Assumed Business Name Registration form with the Secretary of State. This contains basic ownership information and a $50 registration fee. You can file online or download the form at the Oregon Secretary of State » Assumed Business Name Registration. Keep in mind that registering this name will make it public on the state's website.
Corporation:
To register your escort corporation in Oregon you'll need to file your Articles of Incorporation with the Oregon Secretary of State. You'll include information on the amount of shares for the corporation, the incorporating persons and a $100 filing fee. Because of the intricate information required when starting a corporation, it is highly recommended that you seek advice from a business lawyer and accountant. You can find this form or file online at the Oregon Secretary of State » Business Corporation.
Registering your Articles of Incorporation will register your business name, so you do not have to do this separately.
LLC:
To register your escort LLC in Oregon, you'll need to file your Articles of Organization with the Oregon Secretary of State. The form includes basic information about the members and managers of the LLC, and requires a $100 filing fee. You can find this form and file online at the Oregon Secretary of State » Corporation Division.
Registering your Articles of Organization will register your business name, so you do not have to do this separately.
For more information on the fastest and easiest way to register your business, go to the Oregon Secretary of State.
Step six: Register for your federal and Oregon state taxes
There are a few basic types of taxes small businesses in Oregon may register for.
- Individual Income Tax: If you're a sole proprietor or LLC, you'll file your business profits/losses in a Schedule EZ form that will go along with your personal income tax 1040 form. For more information go to IRS.gov. More information on personal income taxes in Oregon can be found at the Oregon Department of Revenue » Personal Income Tax.
- Business Taxes: Corporations in Oregon must pay corporation taxes. LLCs may also have to pay corporate taxes, depending if yours specifically is taxed federally as a corporation or a partnership. More information on these specifics and current tax tables can be found at the Oregon Department of Revenue » Business Taxes Home Page. Partnerships will have to pay separate taxes for their business structure. These can be found at the Oregon Department of Revenue » Partnership Information.
- Unemployment Insurance: All businesses with employees pay unemployment insurance to safeguard the state's unemployed. More information can be found at the State of Oregon » Unemployment Insurance Tax and when you register your business with the Oregon Secretary of State.
- Withholding Taxes: Employers must withhold taxes from employees for their personal income taxes on a federal and state level. More information can be found at the Oregon Department of Revenue » Withholding Tax.
- Workers Compensation: If you have employees, you'll have to pay Workers' Compensation. Resources for employers can be found at the State of Oregon » Workers' Compensation Division.
- Self-Employment Taxes: If you own and operate your business and are not paid as an employee, you'll need to file your own self-employment taxes for social security and Medicaid. This is particularly true for sole proprietorships, general partnerships and LLCs. You can find this Schedule C / 1040 form and get more information at IRS.gov. Get more information at IRS.gov » Self-Employment Tax.
Register for many of these taxes at the State of Oregon Central Business Registry.
Step seven: Get necessary licenses and permits
There's no specific "escort license" in Oregon, and chances are you won't need any other permits to conduct your escort service, but it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the Oregon License Directory (http://licenseinfo.oregon.gov/) and run your city through the IRS's Permit Me tool.
For more information about registering an escort business in Oregon, consider the following online destinations:
Find out how to register an escort business in each state of the USA.
Related resources:
Please note: Dating.com is not a legal service, nor are we tax advisors or accountants. We do offer you what we consider our best advice, but if at all in doubt, please consult a professional.
