• A corporation is an “artificial entity” created under the laws of a given state. The corporation has an identity and existence distinct from and independent of its individual owners. Corporations have the power to (1) act; (2) contract; (3) sue and sue; and (4) own, manage and buy/sell real estate. The profits (and losses) of a corporation are distributed according to the share of ownership (that is, the percentage of the total number of shares) held by each shareholder. A distinctive feature of a corporation is its legal independence from the people who create it. This means that in the event of a corporation’s bankruptcy, the shareholders can only lose their investment in the company (that is, the amount of money they paid for the company’s shares), but will not be liable for any remaining debts to the corporation’s creditors. Corporations are incorporated in all 50 US states, and in some cases by the federal government (for example, national banks and savings and loan institutions).