What is a DBA?

DBA, or doing business as, is your business’ assumed name. When you start a business, the IRS assumes that you’re going to do business under your name, unless you tell them otherwise by registering a business name. When you register a DBA, you do work under a different name than your own. 

You’ll want to register your business as a DBA, first and foremost, if you want to operate a business without your legal name attached to it. 

Registering also makes banking much easier, as it allows you to open a different bank account under the DBA. This helps keep your personal and business finances separate which is important in case of any type of lawsuit. You also look pretty legit having a separate account for your business. Speaking of legitimizing your business, having a business name that isn’t your legal name, allows for opportunities that allow your business to grow.

Deciding whether or not to register your business as a DBA depends on personal preference and if your area requires you to be registered in order to run your business. But, if you want to run your business as anything other than your personal name, you’ll want to file a DBA.