A “doing business as” (DBA) name – also known as an assumed or fictitious business name - allows you or your company to do business under a different name other than your name. As a sole proprietor, your name and your business name are legally the same. A DBA lets you use a name for your business without creating a formal legal entity such as a corporation, partnership or LLC.  Registering your DBA name doesn’t provide any legal protection by itself.

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A non-profit organization is a group organized for purposes other than generating profit and in which no part of the organization's income is distributed to its members, directors, or officers. Non-profit organizations include churches, public schools, public charities, public clinics and hospitals, political organizations, legal aid societies, volunteer services organizations, labor unions, professional associations, research institutes, museums, and some governmental agencies.

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An LLC (limited liability company) takes features from all other business entity types. Like corporations, LLCs offer limited liability protections.  Owners don’t have personal liability for the business’s debts or liabilities. Most popular for small business owners. A limited liability partnership or LLP is a form of partnership where an individual partner is not liable for the malpractice of another partner in the company. This form of company is most often found in medical practices, law offices, or accounting firms ​

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A corporation is a legal entity that exists separately from the company’s owners. Shareholders (the owners), a board of directors, and officers have control over the corporation. It is possible for one person in a corporation to fulfill all of these roles. Corporations can elect to be a C-Corp or S-Corp. A C-Corp is a separate taxpayer, with income and expenses taxed to the corporation. If qualified by the IRS, an S-Corp's profits, losses and other tax items pass through the corporation to shareholders and are reported on the shareholders’ personal tax returns.