If you are a Canadian citizen looking to set up your company in the State of New York, you may be wondering how to get started. Here are some commonly asked Canadian business law questions from non-American residents looking to start a business in New York.
Canadian Business Law Questions | What is the Trademark Electronic Search System?
This search engine allows you to search the United States Patent and Trademark Office‘s (USPTO) database of registered trademarks and prior pending applications to find marks that may prevent registration due to a likelihood of confusion refusal. The USPTO examines every application for federal registration of a trademark for compliance with federal law and the Trademark Rules of Practice. One of the most common reasons for refusing registration is that a “likelihood of confusion” exists between the mark in the application and a previously registered mark or a pending application with an earlier filing date owned by another party. Likelihood of confusion exists between trademarks when the marks are so similar and the goods and/or services for which they are used are so related that consumers would mistakenly believe they come from the same source. Each application is decided on its own facts, and no strict mechanical test exists for determining likelihood of confusion.
Canadian Business Law Questions | Is a Corporation Better Than a Limited Liability Company?
Yes. For Canadian tax purposes a U.S. LLC is taxed as a corporation. If a Canadian resident is a member of an LLC, the income that flows through it is taxed as a dividend and the foreign tax credit is limited to 15% the withholding rate for dividends. LLCs are not recommended for Canadian investors. If you need flow through for Canadian tax purposes, use a limited partnership with a corporate general partner. If you have multiple partners from both the U.S. and Canada, ask your CPA about the Canadian partner creating a U.S. blocker corporation to hold his LLC interest to avoid double taxation. Then the U.S. entity distributes income to Canadian holder as dividends.
Canadian Business Law Questions | How Does a Foreign Corporation Apply for Business in New York
A foreign business corporation may apply for authority to do business in New York by filing an Application for Authority .The New York Department of State does not give opinions as to what activities constitute doing business in New York State for qualification purposes. See the legal memorandum entitled “Doing Business” in New York: An Introduction to Qualification for further clarification.
If you have any further Canadian business law questions, please contact the law offices of Friedman & Ranzenhofer for more information.