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.

incorporate answers first time business formation American Incorporators

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

 

Find the answers to all of your major incorporation questions in our new eBook

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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

Incorporation Process

Posted by Cory Josephs on Jul 25, 2014 9:09:00 AM

Untitled 1Incorporating your business can give you and the other owners of your business a number of benefits. For the benefits of incorporating you can look HERE. Incorporating your business can be an easy task with your friends at American Incorporators Ltd. to help you. It takes completing these simple tasks and we’ll be there to help you along the way

 

 

 

1)      To be a legal entity you must register your business name with the Secretary of State. If you have already thought of your name check it HERE to make sure it is available in your state.  If you do not already have a name, that’s okay think of a creative name for your business that will be attractive for customers.

2)      Decide what kind of entity you would like to incorporate. LLC, S Corp, C Corp and what state you would like to incorporate in. 

3)      Call Us- 800-421-2661

4)      Depending on your states regulations we could get your documentation and your business up and running in just a few days. 

 

If you want to download our "How To Incorporate a Business With American Incorporators Ltd" Guide click HERE

Topics: LLC Creation, Tips & Tricks, Start a Business From Home, Limited Liability Companies, incorporation process, incorporate now, incorporate today, how to start a business, incorporation, forming a business, easy incorporation

Why You Should Incorporate Companies

Posted by Cory Josephs on Jul 11, 2014 3:44:00 PM

There are 5 Different types of entities than can own a business.

  • C Corporation
  • S Corporation 
  • LLCs & LLPs 
  • General Partnerships
  • Sole Proprietorships
For more information on the different types of entities click here 
Incorporating your business into a Corporation or LLC has so many features
  1. Limit the Liability and Protect the Assets of Owners
  2. Increase Tax Savings 
  3. Raise Capital 
  4. Perpetual Existence
  5. Simple Estate and Family Planning
If you own a business as a Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership you have unlimited financial and legal liability. For example if your business gets sued your personal assets are not protected.
 Protecting Personal Assets

Topics: LLC Creation, Tips & Tricks, Corporation Creation, Limited Liability Companies, Corporations, incorporation process, incorporate now, incorporate today, incorporation, forming a business, easy incorporation, Asset Protection, s corp, business partnerships, s corporation, what is an s corporation, process