Size Matters: The Benefits of Being a Small Business

When people imagine a small business, a lot of times they picture a mom-and-pop shop with a couple of employees. The business maybe has a strong local following, but its popularity doesn’t reach a national crowd.

Describing a small business is easy when you think about hometown entrepreneurs; however, the government's way of defining a small business is a little more complex. It's important that you know your business’s size status so you can comply with the law and take advantage of the perks of small business classification.

Small business size standards

There is no one way to define a small business. Your business’s size can depend on a number of factors, based on your industry, sales, and/or number of employees. Different industries have different standards for defining what a small business is.

The government uses size standards to make rules for businesses, so you need to be able to define your business’s size. Take a look at the following small business size guidelines:

ACA size standards

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires businesses of a certain size to provide employee health coverage.

What the standards are: Under the ACA, you are defined as a small business if you have 50 employees or fewer. The employees must be full-time workers or full-time equivalent. A full-time equivalent employee is someone who works an average of 30 hours per week, according to the ACA.

If you have part-time workers, you must calculate full-time equivalent employees. To do this, add up the number of hours part-time employees work; then, divide the sum by the number of part-time workers for the total full-time equivalents.

Add your part-time equivalent employees to the number of full-time workers. If the total is 50 or fewer, you are a small business. If the number is more than 50, you are a large business.

Where to find info: You can find small business standards on the ACA website, Healthcare.gov. The website also offers employer resources on health coverage rules and Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) plans.

Why these standards matter: If you have 50 or fewer employees, you are not required to provide health insurance. You can still choose to implement a health care plan for your employees. If you have 25 or fewer employees, you could be eligible for a tax credit when you buy a plan through the SHOP Marketplace.

SBA size standards

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides loans, contracts, counseling, and resources to American small businesses. By meeting the size standards of the SBA, you are eligible for perks that can help you grow your business.

RELATED: 3 Big Ways the SBA Helps Small Businesses (That You Might Not Know About)

What the standards are: The SBA uses your industry, annual sales, and number of employees to decide size standards. But first, you must:

• Be headquartered in the U.S.
• Operate primarily in the U.S.
• Be a for-profit firm
• Be independently owned and operated
• Be a minority player in your industry

So far, so good? Now, look at how much you make in sales per year and the number of people you employ. Here is the general rule of thumb for a small business:

• Between or below $750,000 and $35.5 million in annual sales
• Between or below 100 and 1,500 employees

The SBA guidelines range widely because industries have different standards. Depending on the kind of business you operate, you will have higher/lower sales and employee standards.

Where to find info: Search the SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards to know your size requirements. Use your industry’s NAICS code to make sure you’re looking at the right industry.

Why these standards matter: If you’re considered a small business, you are eligible for government aid through financial assistance and business counseling. The SBA ensures that at least 23% of government contract work goes to small businesses.

You can secure a loan guaranteed by the SBA if you meet the lending requirements. These loans are easier to secure than a traditional bank loan. The SBA’s 7(a) loan has a maximum amount of $5 million, with an average amount of $371,628 in 2015.

IRS size standards

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the national tax collection agency that collects and administers tax money. You file and pay your business taxes to the IRS.

What the standards are: The IRS does not have a standard small business size. The size of your company depends on individual tax laws. You must look at your business entity to determine your tax responsibilities.

The most common business structures are the following:

• Sole proprietorship: Single owner pass-through tax entity that files Schedule C
• Partnership: Multi-member pass-through tax entity that files Schedule K
• Limited liability company (LLC): Single member pass-through tax entity that files Schedule C or multi-member pass-through tax entity that files Schedule K
• Corporation: Company with one or more owner that acts as a separate tax entity and files Form 1120

Most single-owner small businesses operate as sole proprietorships or single-member LLCs. Most multi-owner small businesses operate as partnerships or multi-member LLCs; corporations are usually large businesses.

Check with the IRS guidelines to see your small business responsibilities. It might be a good idea to have a business tax professional help you.

Where to find info: You can find information about your tax responsibilities on the IRS’s Small Business and Self-Employment Tax Center. This resource shows you how to handle your taxes, plus offers more business-related help.

Why these standards matter: As a business owner, you must report and pay taxes based on your company’s income; your business’s tax entity determines your business tax obligations. You need to understand the structure you operate under and its responsibilities.

RELATED: 5 Action Items You Can Do Today to Prepare for Tax Season