incorporate-and-corporate-difference-also-corp-vs-inc-vs-llc

What is Corporation, Incorporation, or LLC Difference? Know Everything

by Rey Sagar

Most people are confused about the incorporate and corporate difference but it’s very simple and there is not much to focus on.

Corp” means “corporation”, while “inc” means “incorporated.” They are both are basic terms used to describe a corporation, and either can be used in the name of a corporation to fulfill the requirement that the corporate name indicates a limited liability entity. If you still didn’t get the idea then let’s say:

Incorporation is conception and birth. A corporation is a baby.

In Corporation vs Incorporation: “Incorporated” is a real word. “Corporated” is not.

Incorporated is an adjective meaning that an organization is a corporation, as in. like “My company is now incorporated”. Or it can be a verb meaning that an organization was made into a corporation, as in, “We incorporated the company last month.”

“Corporated” does not mean anything but a corporation with an entity that the law treats as a “person.” Incorporation refers to the actions that form a corporation.

Incorporation is basically the process of what you do to form a corporation. A corporation is an entity, that is treated in the course as if it were a live being. Its primary benefit is its tax relationship with the government.

A corporation has privileged tax benefits that allow it to retain some or all of its annual earnings without those earnings being taxed so that they can be used for research and development.


What is Corporation And Incorporation Difference?

What is the difference between inc and corp or whether they are similar forms of the company or not? Let's discuss in a brief what it actually means.

A corporation is a business, whereas incorporation is the process of becoming a corporation. The “Inc.” behind a company name may provide some confusion, but it is synonymous with the corporation as it means “incorporated” (past tense of incorporation).

Typically, both terms refer to a business that issues some type of stock as opposed to an LLC, partnership, or other business structure that operates under a different contract-based model.

They are both used in the names of incorporated entities. When you register a business, you can use both in the business names, whichever you like.

In terms of legal structure, compliance obligations, limited liability, or tax structure, there is no difference between the two. However, they cannot be used interchangeably. After you registered your company, organization, or institution with Corp. or Inc. in the name, it's compulsory to use this extension in all its legal paperwork.

  • Both Inc. and Corp. represent an organization that is granted a charter recognizing it as a separate legal entity having its own privileges, and liabilities distinct from those of its members.
  • The good thing about these types of companies is both are limited liabilities, That means, the owners or shareholders, directors, employees are not personally liable for the debts that the institution owes to the creditors.
  • The company whether it is a Corp or an Inc comes into legal existence when its founders comply with their state's incorporation process.
incorporate and corporate difference

Difference between corporate and incorporate // Key Takeaways:

  • Incorporation is the process to register a company or an institution.
  • The corporation is the organization formed out of this process. It is generally known, is a body formed for the purpose of carrying out a business of any kind.
  • The term Corporation should be used when talking of business institutions or organizations or groups.
  • The term incorporation should be used only when referring to the legal steps taken to form the corporation.
  • You can see the corporations in different countries will have almost the same features and aims, the process of incorporation differs from one country to another as per the jurisdiction of that region.
  • Incorporation safeguards the interests of the personal assets against lawsuits. It also deals with several other legal issues such as transferable ownership, taxation, retirement funds, raising funds, credit rating, and durability.
  • A corporation is a fictitious legal person. It is a business organization under the laws of a particular state which is given particular status and protects personal assets from the business’ obligations. The word is a noun.
  • Incorporation is the process of forming a corporation. The word is a verb.

What's the difference between “Corp”, “LLC”, and “Inc”?

Let's dive a little bit into corp vs inc vs llc if you are more curious about your startup business.

As you may have seen these extensions after the company names both

Corp. (abbreviation of Corporation) and Inc. (abbreviation of Incorporated) indicate a Corporation, i. e. a business that is granted a charter recognizing it as a separate legal entity, having its own privileges and liabilities distinct from those of its members.

On the other hand, LLC (acronym of Limited Liability Company) is also a separate legal entity, and its owners (the "members" of the LLC) are not legally liable for some acts and debts of the LLC.

corp vs inc vs llc

Some differences between a corp vs inc vs llc or Corporation (Corp. or Inc.) and LLC are:

  • A corporation pays taxes on its profits, while in LLC profits (or losses) are passed on to the members, who reflect them in their individual tax returns (unless the LLC chooses to be taxed as a Corporation).
  • Don’t confuse about corporation vs incorporation they are basically the same you can have C and S corporations.

On the corporation, The C corporations pay tax on their income, plus you have to pay the tax on whatever income you receive as an owner or employee. An S corporation doesn’t pay tax. Instead, you and the other owners report the company revenue as personal income.

  • LLCs are easier to set up, and no shareholders meetings or recorded minutes are required.
  • LLC ownership is distributed equally among its members, while in a Corporation it is dependent on the number of shares acquired by each partner.
  • Also, the more important thing is LLCs cannot issue stock.

Frequently Asked Questions :

Is Inc and corp the same thing?

Yes, “Corp.” and “Inc.” mean the same thing, because they both refers to a corporation. When you found the company has Corp. or Inc. after it’s name, then you know it is a legal corporation or not.

What are 4 types of corporations?


The most common types of corporations are S corps, C corps, non-profit corporations, and LLCs.


Can I use incorporated in my business name?

Yes, or No, There is a process of getting it. You cannot simply put an Inc. or other business extension at the end of your business name.

To use those extensions, you must follow your state's rules of incorporation and register your intuition, according to the documentation in your country.

Who pays more taxes LLC or S Corp?

LLC owners must pay self-employment taxes for all income on the other hand S-corp owners may pay less tax, because they pay themselves a "reasonable salary.", before paying taxes.

Why would a company change from Inc to LLC?

One of the most common benefits of changing an Inc to an LLC is to avoid double taxation.

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