Legal Question in Business Law in Minnesota
company name
I registered a busines ''X Y Tours ''in Minnesota and doing business out of Minnesota but my clients are all over USA. Now, I see that there exits already a company ''X Y Exploratory Mountain Travel'' doing business out of NJ and our market segment is the same. Do you suggest me to change the name of my company or I can use some fictitious name to do business?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: company name
I suggest checking with the department in NJ that regulates the use of fictitious names (in Minnesota it is the Secretary of State). You may be able to register your d/b/a in NJ. I'm assuming you're a sole propritorship and that this is a d/b/a. You should also check the other states you do business in, also checking whether there is an obligation to register as a foreign company doing business in the state and checking whether you have any responsibilities concerning state income or sales tax.
I know it is tempting to ignore these requirements, but the penalties can be severe if you get caught. With some clients who do business in several states, I review a checklist with them and we allocate who will do what in order to minimize expense. What I mention here is not a complete checklist, and the checklist will vary depending on how your business is organized and the nature of your business.
Please e-mail me directly with any questions at
Related Questions & Answers
-
Non-solicitation agreement My company is asking me to sign a non-solicitation... Asked 3/14/08, 5:19 pm in United States Minnesota Business Law
-
MN resident Can a MN resident own a business in the state of WI? Asked 3/06/08, 10:48 am in United States Minnesota Business Law
-
Signature Stamps and Notary If a signature must be notarized, can a signature stamp... Asked 3/06/08, 10:28 am in United States Minnesota Business Law