By John Kaschak, CPA, CGMA, CISA | Pennsylvania Department of Revenue

The following column was written by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue as part of its ongoing efforts to keep PICPA members apprised of the latest initiatives the department and other commonwealth agencies are working on to connect Pennsylvanians with important services and resources.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration recently launched the Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop, an online resource designed to help tax professionals and their clients.

Located at www.business.pa.gov, the One-Stop Shop is an online hub for registering, operating, and growing a business in Pennsylvania. It is intended to take the guesswork out of many business procedures and aid all those who want to do business in Pennsylvania.

Before the One-Stop Shop, a small-business owner or entrepreneur would have to seek out information from several different state agencies and organizations throughout the planning, startup, and operation processes. The One-Stop Shop consolidates all of this requisite information into one website, and any questions can be directed to a single phone number that provides one-on-one customer service.

The Department of Revenue assisted in the development of the One-Stop Shop, working with the departments of Community and Economic Development, State, and Labor and Industry, as well as the Office of Administration. Here, I’ve outlined a few of the essential parts of the One-Stop Shop that benefit entrepreneurs in Pennsylvania.

Turn a Concept into an Actionable Plan

The site’s Plan page includes a template for writing a business plan and information about business structure and naming your business. Other resources help connect entrepreneurs with free business counseling, potential business mentors, workshops, and training.

Registering a Business

The One-Stop Shop details what is involved in the business registration process in Pennsylvania. Its registration page explains how business structure affects registration requirements. Other information covers local registrations, permits, zoning requirements, and special registrations. A business registration checklist is available with all the necessary steps to ensure that all bases are covered.

Employer Responsibilities for Operating Businesses

The resource’s Operate page covers many common employee-related requirements for Pennsylvania employers, including states taxes and employer withholding. Other topics covered are workers’ compensation and the local earned income tax.

Explore Diverse Business Resources

On the One-Stop Shop’s Grow page, business owners can learn more about local assistance networks, and how to find help expanding to a new location, exploring government contracting, connecting with diverse business resources, and taking advantage of state funding programs.

John Kaschak, CPA, CGMA, CISA, is the executive deputy secretary for revenue at the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. He can be reached at jkaschak@pa.gov.