Incorporating or Forming an LLC for the First Time?

Posted by American Ltd on Jul 17, 2019 9:28:48 AM

Answers to Your Questions

Incorporating or forming an LLC for the first time American Incorporators Questions Answers business formation

The incorporation process can seem confusing and scary to a first time entrepreneur. What to name your venture, where to incorporate, and whether to form an LLC or corporation are just a few of the many questions that arise before you even begin the process. However, incorporating does not have to be intimidating. 

In reality, assuming you have taken the time to consider and evaluate all of your options, it should be a relatively quick and painless process. On the other hand, putting off this process can have dire consequences; from making it hard to open a bank account, to leaving your personal assets open to a liability suit, to limiting your access to investors. So don’t delay – please continue reading to find out how easy and painless the process can be!

Choosing a Name:

There are numerous places to learn about naming your entity – with everything from name reservations to trademark searches.  Read more about the process: 5 Tips on Naming a Business

LLC or Corporation?:

Likewise there are numerous sites and articles devoted to explaining the differences between LLCs and Corporations: Comparing Entities 

If you have further questions about which entity type is best for your venture we encourage you to consult an attorney or accountant.

Where Do I Incorporate?:

Similarly there are many factors that go into determining if you should form your company in your home state or in one of the so called “special formation stated” like Delaware where pro-business courts and practices attract thousands of new businesses annually. For information on what makes Delaware distinctive please read: Where Do I Incorporate?

 

This article is designed to de-mystify the actual company formation process once all of the above decisions have been made. Once you know where you want to form, what you want to form, and what you want to call your company, you are ready to start the process. In order to do this you have three main options – enlist the help of a professional accountant or lawyer, use a company formation service company or file directly on your own. There are clear advantages and disadvantages to each approach, but we will focus on the advantages of using a formation service company like American Incorporators Ltd. As a service company with extensive relationships in all 50 states, American Incorporators is able to form your company quickly and inexpensively (using a lawyer or accountant will often cost a lot more money, while doing it yourself will tend to take a lot longer).

What You Need to Do:

All you will need to do is answer a few questions related to the nature of your business. Requirements vary slightly depending on the jurisdiction (state) where you are forming, but in general you will need to know the names of your members or directors, your business address and purpose, how many shares of stock you want to issue (only for corporations), and who you want to appoint as registered agents (this can almost always be provided by the person or company forming the company for you).

A corporate service provider like American Incorporators will prepare all of the necessary paperwork, file it with the relevant state authorities and follow up to make sure your business is properly recorded. Depending on the state (and the amount you are willing to spend for expediting in certain jurisdictions) this process can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. In most instances you will have your paperwork back and your company officially listed within a week. Once completed, you will receive a filed certificate of incorporation (or formation) that you can use to prove you are a legitimately established business. Other steps that should be taken at this stage include obtaining and Employer Identification Number (the business equivalent of a Social Security Number) and creating your operating agreement.

Your EIN allows you to hire and pay employees and is usually needed to open a bank account. The operating agreement sets the by-laws for how your entity will be run and helps you to begin the process of establishing the corporate veil that protects your assets. For more explanation on what that means please see: What is the Corporate Veil and How Can it be Protected?

Corporate service providers like American Incorporators regularly obtain EINs for their clients as part of the formation process – saving you valuable time and energy. They also can provide Corporate Kits which will include templates for Operating Agreements and many other important documents you may need in your business life.

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Once you have all of these documents back you are ready to begin your official business life – working with clients and other businesses, reaching out to potential investors and realizing your entrepreneurial dreams! And in most cases it can be completed in a very short time for a very reasonable amount of money! So don’t hesitate to take this important step to get on your way, incorporate today

 

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Topics: incorporation process, how to start a business, forming a business, easy incorporation, create a corporation

What is a Registered Agent?

Posted by American Ltd on Oct 13, 2015 8:30:00 AM

Thinking of Incorporating? You'll Need to Appoint a Registered Agent

What’s a registered agent? This is a commonly asked question among entrepreneurs who are new to the incorporation process.  It is a statutory requirement that all entities appoint a registered agent, also known as resident agent or statutory agent, when incorporating. The registered agent can be an individual or business entity and must have a physical address in the state of incorporation. The primary responsibility of the registered agent is to receive legal correspondence on the entity’s behalf, in addition to, any official notices from the Secretary of State. Failure to maintain a registered office in the state of incorporation can cause the entity to fall out of good standing and even be declared Void if a new agent is not appointed.

registered agent service what is itThere is often a misconception that the registered agent address is the same as the principal office address. This is not the case. The two are very different and serve different purposes. Most jurisdictions allow business entities to maintain a principal place of business outside the state. If the business does not operate or maintain an address in the state of incorporation, a commercial registered agent can be appointed. Many companies elect to appoint a "commercial" registered agent - like American Incorporators - to accept all legal and tax notices on behalf of a company and then forward it to the client. Designation of the registered agent is typically made on the formation documents. By electing a commercial registered agent the company does not have to worry about service providers arriving at their place of business, nor does their personal address have to be disclosed for public record or amended if it's a new address. 

Do I need a Registered Agent? Yes,virtually every state requires a registered agent be appointed to receive service of process and annual tax notices on behalf of the business entity. However, a registered agent is defined as a registered address in the state of formation. Thus, people who form their business in the state where they reside can serve as their own registered agent. Most people do, however, elect a commercial registered agent - 

 

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Topics: Registered Agent, forming a business, registered agent Delaware, create a corporation

What is a Registered Agent?

Posted by American Ltd on Jun 26, 2015 2:30:00 PM

Thinking of Incorporating? You'll Need to Appoint a Registered Agent

What’s a registered agent? This is a commonly asked question of entrepreneurs who are new to the incorporation process.  It is a statutory requirement that all entities appoint a registered agent, also known as resident agent or statutory agent, when incorporating.  The registered agent can be an individual or business entity and must have a physical address in the state of incorporation.  The primary responsibility of the registered agent is to receive legal correspondence on the entity’s behalf, in addition to, any official notices from the Secretary of State.  Failure to maintain a registered office in the state of incorporation can cause the entity to fall out of good standing and even be declared Void if a new agent is not appointed.

Designation of the registered agent is typically made on the formation documents.  There is often a misconception that the registered agent address is the same as the principal office address.  This is not the case.  The two are very different and serve different purposes.  Most jurisdictions allow business registered agent incorporate LLC corporation entities to maintain a principal place of business outside the state.  If the business does not operate or maintain an address in the state of incorporation, a commercial registered agent can be appointed.  If the business does operate or maintain an address in the state of incorporation, ie: director or officer, then either can be appointed as the registered agent of the entity.

There are many benefits of appointing a commercial registered agent.  The commercial registered agent maintains a physical address in the state and is staffed during normal business hours to accept all correspondence received on your company’s behalf.  The registered agent’s address is kept on file with the Secretary of State and this information is stored as Public Record.  Utilizing a commercial registered agent means that you need not worry about address changes or not receiving an important company document. 

American Incorporators Ltd. provides this service nationwide & is ready to assist with all of your corporate needs.  Contact us today!

Registered Agent Services

 

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Topics: Registered Agent, forming a business, registered agent Delaware, create a corporation

What is a C Corporation

Posted by Cory Josephs on Aug 14, 2014 11:43:00 AM

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What is a C Corporation?

A C Corp is legal structure that businesses establish that is a separate entity from the owners and the people that manage it. Corporations are owned by their shareholders, and provide owners limited liability. C Corporations are the most widely type of entity for businesses large and small that have shareholders. 

What's the difference between a C Corp and an S Corp?

All corporations both S and C are started as a C Corp. Once the C corp is formed the business has 75 days to to elect to become an S Corporation.  This election is done with the IRS. More information abour S Corporations can be found Here.

Some things to know if you're thinking about starting a C Corporation

  1. C Corporations may have an unlimited amount of shareholders
  2. Owners do not need to be citizens or residents of the United States
  3. C Corporations shares may be owned by another business
  4. C Corporations are required to have bylaws, hold annual meetings and keep accurate record of the meeting minutes. 
  5. Corporations can raise capital by through the sale of their stock.
If you want to incorporate your company don't worry, American Incorporators Ltd. provides fast and easy incorporation services for you so just give us a call at 800.421.2661 or Click Here for more details.
Form Your LLC Now 

Topics: Corporation Creation, Corporations, incorporation, easy incorporation, s corp, s corporation, starting a business, c corp, create a corporation, what is a c corporation, C Corporation

What is an S Corporation

Posted by Cory Josephs on Aug 6, 2014 11:11:00 AM

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What is an S Corporation?

An S Corporation also know as S Corp is a legal entity described by IRS.gov as "a corporation that decides to pass income, loss, deductions, and credits to their shareholders." S corporations avoid the double taxation inherent to general business corporations, in which profits and dividends are both taxed.

How do I turn my business into an S Corp? 

All corporations are started first as C Corporations. After your C Corporation is started your company must elect to become an S Corporation with the IRS by signing IRS form 2553. 

Some things you need to know if you're starting an S Corp are

  1. Limit of Shareholders- S Corporations are limited to 100 shareholders 
  2. Shareholder Definitions- A new law allows "members of a family" to qualify as one, and defines "members of a family" as the common ancestor, the lineal descendants of the common ancestor, and the spouses or former spouses of the lineal descendants or common ancestor  
  3. Stock Restrictions- S Corporations only have one class of stock
  4. IRS filing- To obtain S Corporation status, all shareholders must sign IRS form 2553 which must be filed within 75 days of starting business. 

If you want to incorporate your company don't worry, American Incorporators Ltd. provides fast and easy incorporation for you so just give us a call at 800.421.2661 or check our our website for more details.

Incorporate Your S Corp Now  

Topics: Corporations, incorporate now, incorporate today, incorporation, easy incorporation, s corp, s corporation, what is an s corporation, fast incorporation, create a corporation, starting an S corp, incorporate your company