Most, if not all, long term care providers operate their business in an entity form, such as a corporation or limited liability company. Many use multiple entities – for example, one entity to own the real estate (or a separate entity to own each parcel of real estate) and another to operate the business.

Although the type of entity (or entities) used in your business was likely selected based on an evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of each type of entity (including tax considerations and management structure), one of the principal benefits of both a corporation and a limited liability company (LLC) is limited liability, which is often referred to as the “corporate veil” or “corporate shield.” The corporate veil refers to the concept that the owners of the corporation or LLC are generally not liable for the debts and obligations of the entity. Rather, the “corporate veil” protects the owners from that personal liability and places responsibility for the entity’s debts and obligations on the entity.