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Alex Witt, CFA
Alex Witt, CFA
Prosperian Wealth Management Financial Advisor
https://www.prosperianwealth.com/ (937) 714-7649

A graduate of The Ohio State University with a degree in Accounting, Alex has spent his entire professional career in the financial services industry. The first 4 years of his career were in investment research covering Consumer stocks at Capital Group, Evercore ISI, and RBC Capital Markets in New York. After being introduced to Prosperian as a client, Alex joined the team in July of 2021 because of a desire to work in a role where he could make a more direct impact on the personal, professional, and financial lives of young professionals and families.

Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Prosperian Wealth Management, LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Prosperian Wealth Management, LLC is not registered in any state or with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a Registered Investment Advisor. AR Insurance License Number - 19960171, CA Insurance License Number - 4157156.

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Tips to protect your LLC

Money Read Time: 2 min

Establishing your business as a Limited Liability Company, or LLC, is a powerful way to segregate your personal assets from those of the business.

Unfortunately, those protections are not limitless. If you personally co-sign for or guarantee a business loan, you could be liable for that amount in a lawsuit, or if the business fails.

Similarly, if you pledge personally-owned assets – say, your home or stock portfolio – for a business loan, you could be on the hook personally.

But there’s a third threat to LLC protection. It’s called “piercing the corporate veil.” Here, a creditor attempts to show that the LLC is a shell created only to provide liability protection for its members, or the LLC was practically inseparable from or an alter ego of its owners.

Courts will be more likely to pierce the corporate veil if:

  • Formalities, such as holding annual meetings and keeping minutes, were not followed.
  • Certain members exerted too much control over the LLC.
  • Members commingled personal funds with the LLC’s funds or used personal funds to satisfy the LLC’s obligations.
  • The LLC was not sufficiently capitalized when it was formed.

Maintaining a wall around your personal assets

  1. Adopt and follow appropriate formalities. Hold annual meetings of members. Keep accurate, detailed “minutes” of important decisions. And be sure to follow the LLC’s Operating Agreement.
  2. Never commingle assets. Keep personal and business separate, always.
  3. Never divert LLC assets for personal use.
  4. Never tell a creditor you will personally guarantee payment.
  5. Make sure everyone knows they are dealing with a corporation, not an individual.

Disclosures:

Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation.

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2023-163887 Exp. 10/25 *pre-approved content*

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