Corporate Financing

A corporation may raise capital to begin the business by two different means: equity financing and borrowing money. Equity financing involves the issuance of shares of stock, which represent ownership in the business. Stock may be issued in exchange for cash, property, labor or services rendered. The primary advantage of equity financing is that the corporation is not required to repay the principal or interest. Instead, the shareholder acquires an interest in the business and may share in its future profits. When issuing stock, a corporation should be aware that there are various types or classes of stock. Different classes of stock grant the shareholder different rights when profits are distributed. A corporation may also acquire capital by borrowing money. Debt financing is attractive to the investor because the corporation is legally obligated to repay the principal and interest. Interest payments are deductible to the corporation. However, debt financing may be difficult or impossible for a new corporation which has little or no current earnings. A loan may require the personal guarantee of the corporate officer(s) who may then be held personally responsible for the repayment of the loan. A shareholder who is a working officer in the corporation is considered to be an employee and must be paid a “reasonable wage” subject to state and federal payroll taxes. If dividends are paid in lieu of wages, the entire dividend is subject to payroll taxes.