Corporate Veil
/ˈkɔːpərət veɪl/
The corporate veil is the legal separation between a company and its owners that protects shareholders' personal assets from business debts and liabilities.
The corporate veil is the legal separation between a company and its owners that protects shareholders' personal assets from business debts and liabilities.
The corporate veil shields your personal assets (home, car, savings) from your company's debts and legal troubles.
If your business fails or gets sued, creditors generally cannot pursue your personal belongings.
This protection is one of the main reasons entrepreneurs choose to incorporate rather than operate as sole traders.
When you incorporate, your company becomes a separate legal entity from you personally.
This means the company owns its assets, enters contracts in its own name, and is responsible for its own debts.
You're typically only liable for what you've invested in the company, not for its total debts.
Courts can "pierce the corporate veil" in exceptional circumstances, removing your personal asset protection.
This happens when there's fraud, the company is used to evade existing obligations, or when directors fail to maintain proper separation between personal and business affairs.
Mixing personal and business finances is a common trigger.
Keep clear boundaries between personal and business activities by maintaining separate bank accounts, proper accounting records, and following corporate formalities.
Hold board meetings, keep minutes, file required documents with the relevant company registry, and ensure the company has adequate insurance where appropriate.
The corporate veil doesn't protect against personal guarantees you've given for business loans, fraudulent activities, or deliberate wrongdoing.
Directors can still face personal liability for certain statutory duties, and the protection only applies to legitimate business activities conducted through proper corporate structures.
Grasping corporate veil concepts helps you structure your business properly from the start, maintain compliance requirements, and make informed decisions about risk management.
It also helps you understand when you might need additional protections like insurance or when to be cautious about personal guarantees.
