business ventures

[Just Gone]

@ Bus fact - the 10 years is the deadline for all companies to convert to pty ltd. If you change over in the next two years it is free of charge. You cannot register a new cc at the mo, but you can buy a shelf cc, therefore you would buy the cc and then T/A. Thus my disagreement with norri saying you cannot be a T/A. You have to be a T/A is you buy a shelf cc you would not prob not want to use the registered name. Its the same as my wife she has a PTY LTD company she took over 7 years ago and its also a T/A !

[BusFact]

@Kevinb - Sorry but I'm still not getting it. If you buy a cc now, then you can trade as the name of the cc, but you can't trade under any name you choose. You are now limited to only using the registered name of the business whether it is a cc or a pty.

Your wife if fine because she is playing by the old rules as she started seven years ago.

Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing here: T/A stands for "Trading As". In the past you could T/A practically any name you could come up with. It didn't matter that your registered business name was ABC cc, you could T/A "Bob's paint" or " Tom's deli" or "XYZ", etc. As long as both names were on your official documents.

Now however you can only choose one name and that is the registered name of your PTY. If you bought another PTY or a shelf company (PTY or cc) then you could trade using the name of that company, but you are limited to that specific name. No longer can you simply choose something else. You can still change the name of your company, but that is a formal process and then you must only use your new name and no longer the old one.

You can't "be" a T/A is more something that you used to be able to do (and some still can continue doing).

PS. Do you have a website? I have a colleague looking for electric fencing work done (only a small residential job).

[Just Gone]

Ok so are you saying I can buy a shelf company, but must use that shelf company name ?? Are you saying I cannot use the shelf company cc as a .... for eg Turquise moon cc Trading as ........ Joe soap escort agency for example ??

[Dave A]

You need to register a defensive name or reserve the trading name with CIPC before you can trade on the name.

[wynn]

Well I am "Grinco Trading cc" and I put whatever I like behind the name.
At the Moment it is "Grinco Trading cc" Civil and Pipesystem Sales, but It could also be "Grinco Trading cc" Brick and Block Sales the cc is still the same but the discription can vary.

So if Murdock traded as "Consultant cc" and then on any letterhead order form or invoice put just that or put "Consultant cc" Wood Creations, or "Consultant cc" Ally creations, as an explanation of what they do I don't see a problem with that, I would put a product description after Ally say 'Ally Clothing Creations' or some such.

Then when you pass the threshold, or clients require a VAT invoice, register for VAT

[Norri]

Nice thinking, Wynn Always enjoyed your out-the-box thinking. Or, in this case, outside-and-inside the box thinking.

[BusFact]

Ok so are you saying I can buy a shelf company, but must use that shelf company name ?? Are you saying I cannot use the shelf company cc as a .... for eg Turquise moon cc Trading as ........ Joe soap escort agency for example ??

Thats right. You can't be Joe Soap any longer but must now only use Turquise Moon. This is as Norrio pointed out due to the new CPA Act. Its a recent change in the law effective from sometime last year. If you desperately want to be Joe Soap you now have to formally change the name of your cc to that, otherwise Dave does mention registering a defensive name, but I'm not convinced as to how practical that is.

[BusFact]

Well I am "Grinco Trading cc" and I put whatever I like behind the name.
At the Moment it is "Grinco Trading cc" Civil and Pipesystem Sales, but It could also be "Grinco Trading cc" Brick and Block Sales the cc is still the same but the discription can vary.

So if Murdock traded as "Consultant cc" and then on any letterhead order form or invoice put just that or put "Consultant cc" Wood Creations, or "Consultant cc" Ally creations, as an explanation of what they do I don't see a problem with that, I would put a product description after Ally say 'Ally Clothing Creations' or some such.

You are very sneaky. At first read I thought you'd missed the whole discussion between Kevin and Me, but then I realised you had left the T/A bit off. I think you would get away with it if it describes what you do such as in "Wood Creations", but you might run into trouble with the "Ally" bit as that sounds like a name and not a description of what you do.

[murdock]

thanks for the replies.

[Just Gone]

aah ok thanks ........... got it now ........... maybe i should do what murdock is doing. I just wish that people that you consult would give you correct info !!