Missouri Business Resource Library:
Regulations and taxes

Business law

• Business Law Lounge - Business law materials for owners, executives, managers or someone just starting a business.
• Changing a business name - SBA's discussion on legal and other ramifications of changing your business name.
• Don't commit a foul in the business name game - Cover all the legal bases when deciding what to call your business.
• elaws - Part of the Department of Labor's website including employment laws assistance for workers and small business. Includes interactive tools and forms.
• Expanding your circle: Hiring employees - Compliance rules and regulations to be aware of when you hire employees.
• FindLaw Small Business Center - Legal information on starting, financing and managing a small business. Includes forms and worksheets.
• Five legal steps for starting your business - Ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship? Make sure you master this checklist first. (from LegalZoom via Inc.)
• Legaldocs ... Legal documents online - Prepare customized legal documents online using standard legal terms. Many documents are free; all others are available from $5.50 to $89.75.
• NOLO - Provides self-help legal information for small businesses. Includes articles on almost any legal topic, legal encyclopedia, legal dictionary, calculators, statutes & cases, and links to other helpful websites.
• Red Flags Rule - Do you extend credit or bill your customers later? What you need to know about the FTC's Red Flags Rule and how to comply.
• Should I sign a non-disclosure agreement? - Before signing or creating a non-disclosure agreement, make sure understand the terms you are agreeing to.
• When in doubt, shred it - It is becoming increasingly important that small businesses know how to properly deal with consumer information. New FTC rules require that anyone possessing consumer information for a business purpose takes reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized use.
• You've been sued: What do you do? - From attorneys to summons response to a trial, what to expect if you're facing a lawsuit

Compliance

• Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (CCAR) - Provides environmental information and best practices to help automotive shop owners, managers and technicians better understand their environmental responsibilities and to help them achieve compliance with environmental program requirements.
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Small Business Assistance Program - Provides services to help Missouri businesses compliance issues for air pollution, water pollution, drinking water, hazardous waste management, land reclamation and solid waste management.
• Missouri Environmental Assistance Center - One-stop resource for pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance for Missouri small businesses.

Copyrights, patents, trademarks (intellectual property)

• See Intellectual property section in Innovation and product development.

Environmental issues

• Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair (CCAR) - Provides environmental information and best practices to help automotive shop owners, managers and technicians better understand their environmental responsibilities and to help them achieve compliance with environmental program requirements.
• Earth 911 for business - "Good for business; good for the environment;" a website helping businesses find recycling centers, employ conservation practices and practice conservation ideas.
• Greener choices - A website from Consumer Reports that offers reliable and practical information on green products, including a toolkit with a toxics search and electronics recycling.
• Making your company more green - Action steps and resources to help ensure that your business environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
• Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Small Business Assistance Program - Provides services to help Missouri businesses compliance issues for air pollution, water pollution, drinking water, hazardous waste management, land reclamation and solid waste management.
• Missouri Environmental Assistance Center - One-stop resource for pollution prevention and environmental compliance assistance for Missouri small businesses.
• Missouri Industrial Assessment Center - IAC provides energy and productivity assessments to qualified small-to-medium-sized manufacturing companies. A program of MU's College of Engineering.
• Other government agencies - Links to other state and federal websites.
• Putting energy into profits - Provided by the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star Program, this publication can guide businesses in saving money from lighting, heating, air conditioning and office equipment purchase, use and maintenance.
• Twenty opportunities for small business energy savings - Twenty general and specific actions businesses can do to save energy.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 7 - EPA regional programs and initiatives for Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska (Region 7).

Government resources

• ADA (Americans with Disabilities) guide for small businesses - Guide presents an informal overview of some basic ADA requirements for small businesses that provide goods or services to the public.
• Business.USA.gov - Provides business with one-stop access to federal government information, services and transactions.
• Federal Citizen Information Center - Contains information on laws and federal regulations affecting small business owners. Order publications online.
• FedWorld.gov - A comprehensive central access point for searching, locating, ordering and acquiring goverment and business information.
• HIPAA - Office for Civil Rights - Useful materials and links regarding the new HIPAA privacy rule and public health with an emphasis on smaller providers and other small businesses.
• Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns - Provides access to disability resources, services and information for individuals and businesses.
• LSU Libraries Federal Agency Directory - Complete U.S. Federal Government Agencies Directory.
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Provides access to state health rules, standards, data and other resources.
• Missouri Department of Public Safety - Provides support services and resources to promote public safety.
• OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - Provides research, information, education and training in the field of occupational safety and health.
• National Archives and Records Administration - Code of Federal Regulations - General and permanent rules published in the federal register by executive departments and agencies of the federal government. Search by title or citation.
• Regulations.gov - Easy-to-navigate site that acts as a clearinghouse of online services for individual citizens, businesses, and governments.
• Selected government sites - Official websites of state and federal agencies that regulate businesses.
• State and local government on the net - Guide to local, state and federal sponsored Internet sites.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Includes regulations, laws and information on (recalls, safety, testing, hazards, etc.) for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
• U.S. House of Representatives - Official website of the United States House of Representatives.
• U.S. House of Representatives: Small Business Committee - Find out what bills and hearings are in the U.S. House of Representatives pipeline for small business.
• U.S. Senate - Official website of the United States Senate.
• U.S. Senate: Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship - Find out what bills and hearings are in the U.S. Senate pipeline for small business.

Insurance

• See Risk management/insurance/security section in Management and leadership

International

• Bureau of Consular Affairs - Part of the U.S. Department of State website. Foreign travel warnings, law, policy and Consular sheets.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Traveler's health information - for travels outside the U.S.
• China Business Network - China business guide offering a platform for organizations to offer profiles, index skills, locate partners/customers and reach the community of international business professionals active in China.
• China today - Comprehensive information base on today's China.
• Chinapages - Lists trade categories to help find companies or products of interest which are labeled "MADE IN CHINA."
• Center for International Business Education and Research - Part of the University of Kansas website. CIBER assists small- and medium-sized companies with exploration of trade opportunities and developing international business skills. Particular emphasis is placed on the emerging role of electronic communication resources in developing international business opportunities for firms located in the U.S. heartland.
• Commercial News USA - U.S. Department of Commerce showcase for American-made products and services. Designed to help American companies promote products and services to buyers in other 176 countries.
• Embassy.org - Foreign Embassies & Consulates located in Washington, D.C. and throughout the U.S.
• Export Administration Regulations - (formerly Bureau of Export Administration) Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security website. Export control and licensing regulations.
• Export.gov - U.S. government export portal providing access to a global listing of trade events, international market research and practical tools to help with the export process.
• Export-Import Bank of the U.S. - Official export credit agency of the U.S. government. Supports financing of U.S. Goods and services.
• Foreign Agriculture Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agriculture export assistance, programs and services.
• Foreign Trade Statistics - Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. Census Bureau. Provides data on all U.S. imports and exports.
• GlobalEdge - Part of the Michigan State University - Center for International Business Education and Research (MSU-CIBER) website. Index of online international business resources.
• Globalspeak.com - Video webcasts on export topics, including "How-to-do-Business."
• International Monetary Fund - IMF lends money to member countries in economic crisis.
• International Relations Council - Programs and events on economic and trade policy worldwide.
• International Trade Administration - U.S. Department of Commerce - Get online international trade assistance with tariffs, taxes, documentation, research, rules and trade events.
• Links to United States embassies and consulates worldwide - U.S. Department of Commerce - Information and services.
• Market Access and Compliance - U.S. Department of Commerce - Helps American exporters facing foreign trade barriers and assures that foreign countries comply with their trade commitments.
• Missouri Department of Agriculture - Provides market development information and export assistance for Missouri agricultural products.
• Missouri Exports - Statistics of Missouri exports from the Missouri Department of Economic Development, MERIC.
• Office of Foreign Assets Control - Part of the U.S. Department of Treasury website. Information on trade sanctions and embargoed foreign countries.
• Office of the U.S. Trade Representative - Information on trade agreements and policies.
• Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance - Global religious holidays and cultural considerations.
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation - OPIC supports, insures and finances foreign investment projects.
• Passport Service and Information - Part of the U.S. Department of State website. Passport services and information on how to apply for a passport.
• SBA: International trade - Offers export, finance and other loan and lenders programs.
• Stat-USA Internet - Business, trade and economic information. National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) Subscription Required. A service of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• St. Louis Center for International Relations The primary office for international relations and protocols, providing international resources in St. Louis.
• RCGA - St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association - Chamber of Commerce and economic development organization for the Greater St. Louis region.
• The Virtual International Trade Center - Part of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce World Trade Center website. Provides resources needed to grow a business in the global marketplace.
• The White House - Homepage. Information from the President and Congress.
• The World Factbook - Part of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) website. Guide to country profiles.
• Trade Information Center - Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration website. International trade information from 40+ government agencies.
• U.S. Agency for International Development - Information on projects and procurement funded USAID.
• U.S. Council for International Business - ATA Carnets-merchandise passports that simplify customs procedures for the temporary importation of commercial samples (CS), professional equipment (PE) and goods for exhibitions and fairs (EF).
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Top news and press releases. Information on duty rates, harmonized tariff schedule (HTS), rulings and regulations, small importer, publications and forms.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture - Top news and press releases from the USDA.
• U.S. Department of Commerce - News and info from the DOC.
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Government Printing Office - Access to government information and publications.
• U.S. Small Business Administration - SBA's main page includes top news and press releases.
• U.S. Trade and Development Agency - Information on feasibility studies, infrastructure and industrial projects overseas.
• U.S. Treasury - Top news and press releases from the Treasury.
• USA Trade Online - Information on more than 18,000 export commodities and 24,000 import commodities. Subscription Required.
• World Bank - Multilateral lending agency. Reduces poverty and promotes economic growth in developing countries.
• World Trade Center Associations - Post and review trade opportunities, access valuable international trade databases and communicate with newly-found business prospects through a worldwide network of locations.

Legal structures

• Ask a specialist: What are the basic steps to follow to open a Missouri business?
• Legal structures, licenses and taxes - This document will help you determine which form of business organization or legal structure to use for your new business.

Licenses and permits

• Ask a specialist: What are the basic steps to follow to open a Missouri business?
• Business licenses and permits - Information on business licenses and permit requirements. Provides guidance on sales tax number, EIN, motor vehicle and occupational licenses, selling to the state, plus local permits and zoning.
• Contacts for licenses and permits - Form lists legal requirements for starting a business in Missouri and provides contact information for assistance.
• Legal formation - Third section of "Doing Business in Missouri". Provides information on how to select the proper legal business structure including sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation and limited liability company.
• Legal structures, licenses and taxes - A document to help determine which form of business organization to use for your business. Includes legalities and federal income tax choices that may be affected.
• Licenses and registration checklist - A guide to help you with the licensing and registration requirements for starting your new business.
• Missouri business links - Links to state agencies that answer common questions that start-ups and business owners have concerning state permits, regulatory requirements, forms, fees and contact information for their particular business.
• Online business registration - Combined online registration form where Missouri businesses can easily register for the following: retail sales tax, withholding tax, unemployment tax, corporate/franchise tax, consumer's use tax, vendor's use tax. (Combined registration project of Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Division of Employment Security and the Department of Revenue)
• Writing labels for textile products - Provides information on federal regulations for labeling textile products, such as clothing, bedding, fabrics and awnings before those products are sold to the public. Includes label placement, life expectancy of many textile items, glossary, illustrated section detailing how to write care instructions, application for a registered identification number and an illustrated guide to care symbols. (Missouri Textile and Apparel Center publication)

Taxes

• Can your business benefit from Section 179? - How to take advantage of IRS Code Section 179 to gain tax relief; includes action items.
• Car and truck deduction reminders - IRS fact sheet explaining the rules for deducting car and truck expenses for business.
• Employee or independent contractor: 20 tests - 20 factors or "tests" used by the IRS when determining whether a person is an employee or an independent contractor
• Employee or independent contractor (What is the difference?) - If the IRS determines a person is an employee and they have been treated as an independent contractor, you may be liable for back taxes. Learn how the IRS determines if a person is an independent contractor or employee. Includes examples from several industries.
• Expanding your circle: Hiring employees - Compliance rules and regulations plus costs to be aware of when you hire employees.
• FindLaw Tax Center - Free information on federal and state income tax plus small business tax help. Tips, rules, new income tax laws, news, help for dealing with audits and implications, important links.
• Five facts about the home office deduction - Tips from the IRS about claiming the home office deduction
• Home Office Deduction Reminders - IRS fact sheet explaining the rules for deducting home office expenses.
• IRS A-Z Index for Business - Find your tax topic on IRS.gov.
• IRS Newsroom - Part of the Internal Revenue Service's website. Offers the latest tax law changes, news flashes and newly released statistics and bulletins.
• IRS reminds taxpayers that keeping good records reduces stress at tax time
• IRS small business products online ordering - Choose from a suite of free IRS tax products developed especially for small business owners and get updated information on existing products.
• IRS: Small Business and Self-employed Tax Center - Provides links to electronic tax filing sites, forms, publications, tax library and electronic services offered by the IRS that are helpful to small businesses/self-employed.
• Is it tax time already? - Tips to help the small business owner in making the most of tax deductions including advice for working with your tax professional.
• Keeping good records reduces stress at tax time - IRS tips on what to keep and for how long
• Legal structures, licenses and taxes - A document to help determine which form of business organization to use for your business. Includes legalities and federal income tax choices that may be affected.
• Missouri Department of Revenue - Forms, manuals and business tax information.
• Missouri Enterprise Tax Benefit Program - The 2004 law creates what is now called Enhanced Enterprise Zones. For a business to qualify for the Missouri Enterprise Tax Benefit Program, the business must now be located in an Enhanced Enterprise Zone.
• Small business expenses and tax deductions - Learn how to deduct business expenses on your income taxes (from business.gov).
• Small business information - Part of the Missouri Department of Revenue's website that helps small businesses comply with Missouri tax requirements.
• Top seven tax tips for new business owners - Tips from the IRS
• Taxes - Fourth section of Doing Business in Missouri. Provides information on state and federal taxes and how to meet requirements. Discusses income tax, withholding tax, sales tax numbers and exemptions, retail sales tax and fuel tax.
• Tax planning for the self-employed - Planning tips, including a discussion of various federal and state taxes you must withhold, estimated payments, retirement plans, deductions and other tax advantage ideas.