Important Business Documents to Have on Hand

[Regina_B]

As a business owner, it is important to consider what documents you may need to have on hand. See below for important documents that you may be asked for by your financial institutions or when applying for financing as a business owner.

• Invoices/Receipts: It is generally a good idea to save copies of signed invoices or receipts. Maintaining receipts and invoices, along with any other records of proof of sale, helps protect you in the event of a chargeback. Maintaining documents or other evidence showing that you provided your goods or services can similarly help in the event of a chargeback. Also, be sure to maintain a clear and well-documented return policy. Check out our Town Square article, Chargebacks 101, to learn more about chargebacks.
  
  
• Payoff Letters and Termination Documents: If you have received a loan from another lender and would like to apply for additional funding, then it’s important to save documents that prove your loan is in good standing and/or that you have successfully paid off your other financial obligations. If you have paid off a loan with a lender that filed a UCC financing statement (UCC-1) against your business, you should request a copy of a filed UCC termination statement (UCC-3) from the lender.
  
  
• Recent Tax Returns: Recent business tax returns are great to have on hand for verification of your business’s income and financial health.
  
  
• SS-4 (if applicable): Your SS-4 is an official letter from the IRS confirming your Employer Identification Number (EIN). Not all businesses have or need an EIN. If you are unsure about your legal entity type or whether your business has an EIN, we recommend consulting with a tax professional.

[TwinSistaz]

Recently square requested for me to verify my restaurant account what documents specificity  do i need I own a Caribbean restaurant but square is requesting these documents Do I need them all?

• Occupational license
• Official certification of trade
• EIN form
• DBA
• State registration
• Seller's permit
• LLC filings
• Articles of incorporation