Best LLC Filing Services (Comparison Guide, Oct 2021)

Our LLC Service Guide and Comparison for 2021

There Is a Lot Of Competition Among the Various LLC Service Providers. We Cut Through the Noise and Review the Top LLC Services in the Game Today.

Top 7 Online LLC Service Providers

Pricing: LLC Formation Including 365 Days of Registered Agent Service

#1 Northwest Registered Agent $225 $39 😲

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#2 ZenBusiness $299

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#3 Incfile $149

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#4 Swyft Filings   $299

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#5 BetterLegal  $299

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#6 Inc Authority  $349

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#7 Rocket Lawyer  $249

 The Leading LLC Services 2021

#1 Northwest Registered Agent (LLC Industry Leader & Great Customer Service)

Special Pricing for Our Visitors!

$225  Just $39 + state fee

Monthly Options Available!

The ONLY LLC Service With Monthly Plans!

California: LLC Formation + Registered Agent + State Fee = $37/mo. 😲
$37 Gets You Out The Door With A Newly Formed Business in California or Georgia! 😲
https://northwestregisteredagent.com

• California LLC $37/mo
• Texas LLC $54/mo
• Georgia LLC $37/mo

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#2  ZenBusiness   (Get an LLC Formation & Business Website)

Best Service Guarantee!

100,000+ formations in the last year!
https://zenbusiness.com

Popular Plan: $299 + state fee

With ZenBusiness You Get,

• Fast and simple LLC formation
• Worry-free services and support
• 100% accuracy guarantee

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#3 Incfile  (Cheapest LLC Service)

Incfile Has the Most Features for the Best Price!
$149 + state fee

• Preparing & Filing the Articles of Organization
• Unlimited Name Searches
• FREE Registered Agent Service for a year!
• EIN Business Tax Number
• Operating Agreement 

For entrepreneurs interested in forming an LLC (Limited Liability Company) S-Corp or Corporation, there are 3 main options to take

Option one – Do it yourself by researching the requirements in your state and filing the proper documents, and hope you do everything correctly.

Option two – Hire an attorney to do much of the work for you.

Option three – Use one of the affordable online document filing services to get you through the process.

For those interested in using a filing service to form an LLC, or incorporate as an LLC, this is a review and comparison of our picks for the best LLC filing services for business formations and incorporations in 2021.

 Best LLC Services 

We know it can be hard to pick the best LLC service for your business. This section lays out the 7 best LLC service providers on the market today.

We contacted and tested each company’s customer service and support levels on our list by going over every detail and verifying their published prices and processing times.

Since finishing our comparison, we can now give you insights into key areas such as pricing, features, processing time, and help and support.

 Northwest Registered Agent

Best Customer Service

Northwest Registered Agent

Headquarters: Spokane, WA

One Of The Few LLC Websites With Offices In All 50 States!

https://northwestregisteredagent.com

Form An LLC Online With Northwest Registered Agent LLC Services

 

From their website,

At Northwest Registered Agent, you’ll find an in-depth assortment of business services, free legal forms, and how-to guides, each one created with the single purpose of helping people start and operate businesses.

That’s what we believe a registered agent should be—a real business solution that makes doing business easier and better.

Whether you’re seeking registered agent service in any US jurisdiction, want to start a company, looking for a free LLC operating agreement, want simple instructions on how file an annual report, or even want to do something obscure like learn how to reinstate a corporation, Northwest Registered Agent is here to guide you.

Northwest is our #2 best LLC service. One of the most familiar names in terms of registered agent and LLC formation services, Northwest Registered Agent, has become one of its type’s largest companies.

For over two decades, the company is well-known for its high-quality customer service, reasonable pricing options, and a lack of pushing sales.

Monthly Plans Available

Skip The State Fee

 

Pricing: Northwest Registered Agent offers two primary services, LLC formation, and registered agent services. As the name implies, they are primarily known for their registered agent services. However, they also have an LLC formation service, which many take advantage of.

Monthly Plan: Northwest pays your state fee upfront and spreads it out into monthly payments. The Texas formation fee is $300, but for just $54 a month, you get a business formation and registered agent services for one year.

This is mostly because those who start a business and need LLC formation will probably need a registered agent.

Registered Agent: 

Keep in mind that registered agents and LLC formation are not combined; they are separate services. With this purchase, your business will have a registered agent required by law in all 50 states. This means that the state has a legal way of contacting you for sending forms, notices, and the like. You can act as your own agent, but that can be problematic.

LLC Formation: 

LLC Formation + Registered Agent = $39 plus the state fee

This service is a one-time fee, which means that all aspects of LLC formation filing are performed with just one payment.

Keep in mind that this service also includes a free year of registered agent services. But after that, it is $125 per year.

This means that you enjoy a significant discount for your first year of registered agent services if you include it with your LLC formation service.

Each plan comes with personalized customer support 

Northwest Registered Agent offers one advantage if you use their registered agent services because your personal information is private. This means that your business address for receiving notices and junk mail is through Northwest Registered Agent and not your home address.

This can be most advantageous for many types of businesses.

If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think they are one of the best LLC services available for 2021.

After testing and comparing the best services and options right now, we have concluded that Northwest Registered Agent is the top LLC service available in 2021.

Northwest provides unique and personalized customer support by ‘Corporate Guides’

They have offices in 50 states

Create an LLC online with Northwest 

cs Reviewed

 ZenBusiness

Headquarters: Austin, Texas
Great LLC Website For Online Formations In 2021
ZenBusiness Has Completed Over 100,000+ Business Formations In The Past Year!
File & Form an LLC Online With ZenBusiness!

ZenBusiness is one of our favorites for the best LLC service in 2021. Created by Ross Buhrdorf, former HomeAway CTO, ZenBusiness started in large part as an alternative to LegalZoom.

The goal of ZenBusiness was to be the best in business formations, offering many services that helped people with all types of legal matters for their business.

LLC formation has become one of its prime services. By offering different packages, ZenBusiness has exploited a gap left by LegalZoom, which other companies in the field are now taking advantage of.

 

From their website,

Who is ZenBusiness? We are a small business that is excited about helping other entrepreneurs realize their dreams of creating and growing a successful business. By making business formation easy and affordable, we hope to foster a small business community where owners can connect on a local and national level and help each other grow.

Based in Austin, Texas, ZenBusiness also offers a worry-free compliance guarantee with their Pro and Premium LLC formation plans.

A nice feature for business owners is knowing ZenBusiness will take care of every legal form and annual report as part of their services.

And if they miss something which causes a fine, they will pay the fine.

ZenBusiness LLC Service Price Comparison

ZenBusiness Has An ‘A La Carte’ Option

Service	Pricing
Registered Agent Service	$119 per year
Worry-Free Guarantee	$129 per year
Employer ID Number (EIN)	$70 one-time charge
Business Filing	$49

 

Pricing: ZenBusiness offers three different pricing packages for creating an LLC.

Starter Plan: $49 per year, plus the state fee

• Standard filing service
• Formation in 1-3 weeks
• Name availability search
• State filing plus verification
• Articles of organization
• Personalized dashboard
• Registered Agent 
• Operating agreement plus bylaws
• Phone and chat support 

Pro Plan: $199 per year, plus the state fee

• All Starter services, plus
• Formation in 5-8 business days
• Worry-free guarantee
• Employer ID Number or EIN
• Expedited Filing

Premium Plan: $299 per year, plus the state fee

• All of the Pro services, plus
• Rush filing service
• Formation in 1-3 business days
• A business domain name, website, & email address
• Domain name privacy
• Formation in 3 to 5 business days

Each plan comes with extended customer support hours 7 days a week

ZenBusiness PBC (Public Benefit Corporation) was founded to help those who wanted to create an LLC easily.  For those who want to start small, you can upgrade to bigger packages if you desire.

The reputation that ZenBusiness has built up over the years is considerable. They appear at the top of our list and other listings for the best LLC services.

We think ZenBusiness is the best LLC and incorporation creation service for 2021, and we aren’t the only ones who think they are one of the best LLC services online today; just check out their user reviews on Trustpilot.

If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think ZenBusiness is one of the best LLC services available for 2021. Visit our ZenBusiness review or our comparison LegalZoom vs. ZenBusiness.

ZenBusiness Website Builder

Business Website and Hosting

The ZenBusiness ‘Premium Plan’ Includes a Business Website, Domain Name, and Website Dashboard

A website can also be added to the Pro Plan or Starter Plan
Website $100/year
Domain Name $25/year

ZenBusiness offers all customers a personalized dashboard to set up and customize their domain name and website at any time from a computer or mobile device.

The ZenBusiness website builder comes with several templates to choose the style and design you want, hosting, a personal domain name, and business email.

✅ Set up your domain name

✅ Select a website template

✅ Customize your content and designs

✅ Generate new leads and customers

✅ Take payment from your website

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ZenBusiness LLC Formation and Incorporation Service
Customer Support: Phone or Chat, Monday – Friday, 8 am – 8 pm Central time, or Sunday from 10 am – 7 pm Central time.

Form A New Company With ZenBusiness LLC Services

 

Incfile

Incfile

LLC Service With 500,000 Formations Since 2004! 

https://www.incfile.com

Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Incfile Is An Online Business Formation Service With Over 20 Years of Experience 

First-Year of Registered Agent Services Free!

 

Incfile’s Silver LLC Formation Package Is Free! + state fee
Free Registered Agent Service 1st Year!

 

Incfile’s Gold Package Includes An Employee Identification Number (EIN)

 

The Platinum Package

 

The multiple price packages are excellent, and the selection of services is also good. If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think they are one of the best LLC services available for 2021. Visit our Incfile review for more details.

Each LLC plan comes with responsive customer support.

Incfile’s Customer Support: Phone support available Monday – Friday from 9 am to 6 pm CST

Create an LLC Online With Incfile LLC Services

Swyft Filings 

Quick Processing

Swyft Filings

Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Another Texas LLC Website Offering Tremendous Value

Want to create an LLC online quickly? Swyft Filings is the one for you. While Swyft Filings is relatively new, formed in 2012, they have carved a niche in the online LLC formation service niche.

They have done so in large part by creating a simple set of services with three pricing packages. Plus, they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and focus on providing reliable customer service.

The emphasis of Swyft Filings is to provide fast, proper service when it comes to LLC formation. This means that their customer service operations are geared towards that endeavor.

Pricing: You’ll find three basic pricing packages, Basic, Standard, and Premium.

Basic: $49, plus state fee

• Preparation and filing of Articles of Organization
• Lifetime customer support
• Name Availability verification
• 12-month Free domain name
• ComplianceGuard alerts
• 30-minute Business tax consultation

Standard: $149, plus the state fee

• All from Basic package, plus the following;
• EIN or Federal Tax ID number
• LLC operating agreement
• Organizational minutes
• Banking resolution

Premium: $299, plus the state fee

• All from Standard package, plus the following;
• Business website
• 90 days of hosting
• Digital corporation kit

Each formation plan comes with high-quality customer support.

You can upgrade to different packages if you choose, depending on the needs of your business. This means that you can select what works best for you at a price that fits your budget. If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think they are one of the best LLC services available for 2021.

Swyft Filings LLC Formation and Incorporation Service
Customer Support by Phone or Chat: Monday – Friday 9 am – 6 pm
Based: Houston, Texas

Create an LLC with Swyft Filings LLC Services

 

BetterLegal 

BetterLegal
Headquarters: Austin, Texas
One Simple Formation Price With This LLC Website From Texas

https://betterlegal.com

Fast & Inexpensive Formations

If you want straight talk, no upsells, and a quick business formation, BetterLegal is the one for you. There are no confusing packages here. BetterLegal has one formation package that gets the job done.

On their website, they claim to set up your business in 10 minutes, get your paperwork filed the same day, “so you’ll have your business within 2 business days,” “and receive your documents in 3 business days.”

BetterLegal is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has been in business since 2016. Their Trustpilot reviews go back almost 3 years, and they have a combined rating of “Excellent.”

The BetterLegal Price & Plan

BetterLegal charges a flat fee of $299 (+ state fee) for LLC and Corporation formations. This price includes preparing and filing the Certificate of Formation, an Operating Agreement, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). They can set you up with a registered agent for $10. per month or $90/year.

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BetterLegal’s Trustpilot reviews are great, and they have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

At this writing, the BetterLegal website does not show any customer support hours or phone access, only email and physical address.

To contact BetterLegal, email them at [email protected] or email a letter at 1003 Rio Grande St, Austin, Texas 78701.

Form a New Business With BetterLegal LLC Services

Inc Authority 

Inc Authority

Headquarters: Reno, NV
Affordable LLC Website

Inc Authority offers a basic LLC setup service for FREE; just pay the required state fees. It’s a friendly way to get you in the door and let you experience their service before adding additional features.

If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think Inc Authority is one of the best LLC services available for 2021.

Customer support is available 5 days a week by phone or email. 

Why Free Business Formation?

From their website, Inc Authority explains why they provide a FREE but limited business formation service.

Inc Authority LLC Formation and Incorporation Service
Customer Support: By Phone or Chat, Mon-Fri: 8 am-5 pm PST

Create an LLC Online with Inc Authority LLC Services

 

Rocket Lawyer 

Rocket Lawyer
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Rocket Lawyer Is An LLC Formation Website That Also Provides Legal Services

Form A New Business With Rocket Lawyer LLC Services

Founded in 2008, Rocket Lawyer is one of the more popular online legal technology companies on the list.

Designed to help small to medium-size businesses and individuals, the company’s purpose is to provide online legal services that include everything from incorporation to legal documents to estate plans and more.

Although the company covers a broad range of interests regarding legal documents and assistance, entrepreneurs and those just starting up small to medium-size businesses are the main targets.

Initially, the company charged for all its services individually but added a monthly subscription fee to cover most of their offer, which helped grow their business exponentially. 

Pricing: There is only one monthly pricing service, which makes Rocket Lawyer different than most in the field.

Premium: $39.95 per month, plus the state fee

Each plan comes with personalized customer support.

If you are not a premium member, you will have to pay for each service they provide. Premium membership includes the following;

• Access to Legal Documents
• Attorney Services: Ask questions, get 30-minute consultation, access to documents
• Business Incorporation Filing: Free for the first incorporation, 25% off for future incorporations

You can hire Rocket Lawyer as a registered agent for 25% off their standard fee. Plus, you can hire an attorney for 40% off their usual price.

Keep in mind that if you only need a specific service from Rocket Lawyer, such as LLC formation, it is a one-time fee. However, you might want to consider the premium service as it offers plenty of features for a comparable price to similar services provided by different companies.

Otherwise, you can pay a one-time fee for the various services if you choose not to go Premium. If you need to form an LLC this year and/or need a good registered agent service, we think Rocket Lawyer is one of the better LLC services available but not near the top of our list for 2021.

Rocket Lawyer LLC Formation and Incorporation Service
Customer Support: Phone Support Monday-Friday, 6 am-6 pm

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What about LegalZoom? How come they aren’t at the top of this list?
LegalZoom happens to be a well-known and busy online legal services business. This is attributed to the company’s large-scale advertising campaigns and strong brand recognition. We like LegalZoom’s wide variety of online legal services.

With that said, we think their features and rates aren’t as impressive as other LLC filing services.

Business Structures Compared

Corporations, S-Corps, Non-Profits, LLCs, and Sole Proprietorships

If you get hit by the idea of starting your own business, you’ll need to choose which kind of business structure your company should use. Which business structure is right for you can depend on how you plan on operating the business.

Different business types can affect how you handle taxes and liabilities that can affect you and your company as a whole.

Each kind of business structure has its pros and cons. You should assess your options and choose the right one that suits your vision and dreams.

Once you’ve picked a business structure that you’re happy with, you can make it a part of the business plan.

What exactly are Corporations?

The first thing to know about corporations is that there are a few different subtypes. A corporation owned by shareholders is called a C Corporation. The shareholders choose who they feel would be a suitable board of directors to manage and oversee the business.

The board of directors has to make decisions that benefit their corporation and match the ideals and ideas of the shareholders.

The main benefit of choosing a corporation is that owners have limited liability for company debt. Corporations can also enjoy lower tax rates as profits are shared.

It’s also quite simple to transfer the ownership of a corporation if it comes down to that.

The key downside is that there’s much paperwork involved, and running the business is generally more expensive.

It can also take longer to come to a unanimous decision because there are so many people on the board of directors, and all of them (or at least most) have to agree.

What are S-Corporations?

S-Corporations have different financial processes. They distribute the income of the business to the shareholders for taxation. One key benefit for shareholders with an S Corporation is the single layer of tax.

There are still drawbacks to having an S Corporation, however. For a start, the laws around these corporations can be challenging to understand and navigate. Owning an S Corporation is likely to involve working with an attorney or an accountant. There could also be stock restrictions in place. Another downside is that officers and shareholders may be limited to “reasonable” salaries.

What is a Non-Profit?

Non-profit businesses are formed to serve some benefit to the public. This can include community foundations and private foundations. Non-profit organizations are tax-exempt as laid out by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Non-profit organizations can be made for all kinds of missions, but they are some human service organizations.

Their tax-exempt status is the obvious benefit of owning a non-profit business. Any founders or directors of a non-profit organization also make the most of limited liability for any company debt.

The downsides of this kind of business are that there’s much paperwork involved in launching and operating a non-profit organization.

They also have high costs, and the public will always scrutinize the income and expenses to ensure a non-profit appropriately handle their money.

What are Sole Proprietorships?

A sole proprietorship is easily one of the simplest kinds of business to create. This kind of business sees one person write out a business plan and then form, own, manage, and control their business. A

s the name implies, you are in charge of everything, and all the profits are yours. That also means that any losses are also your responsibility.

The advantages of operating a sole proprietorship are that they are easy to manage, make decisions easier, and have a lot of flexibility. The downside is that you are wholly liable for any business financial problems. You also have to pay personal taxes on the net profits of the business.

What are General Partnerships?

General partnership businesses are companies owned by two people (or more). This kind of business structure allows for partners to provide funding to start up the company. All partners are responsible for managing the company. Partners may choose to create an agreement that outlines their specific role for the company.

It’s easier to start a general partnership than other types of business. They have fewer start-up costs as multiple people provide financing. As is the case with a sole proprietorship, the partners in a general partnership are responsible for any business debts. Partnerships can also reach an impasse or fall apart if the people involved don’t work well together.

What is an LLC?

An LLC is a “limited liability company.” These are a combination of a corporation and a partnership that operates as a single legal entity. The people involved with an LLC have the same single taxation enjoyed by partners of a partnership.

Forming an LLC is an attractive choice for entrepreneurs because individual members have a limited liability over business debts. These companies can also be created without the endless paperwork required for a corporation. The downside to starting an LLC is that it can be more expensive than sole proprietorships or a partnership.

An LLC or Limited Liability Company is a business formation created back in the 1970s as an alternative to a corporation. It is described as a cross between a sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. The basic premise behind an LLC is that the member or members of the LLC cannot be held personally responsible for tax debts, company liabilities.

Even if the business is forced to file bankruptcy, the members are shielded from spending their own money to cover any debts or payments. LLCs are not subject to corporate tax; owners simply list the profits and losses on their personal income taxes.

Each state has its own regulations on business formations; for info on starting an LLC in Texas, visit our article on forming an LLC in Texas. 

All LLC businesses are viewed in two different ways as legal entities and tax entities. Each of them is handled uniquely to ensure that both parts are taken care of. As a legal entity, this is how the courts and different levels of government view a company.

The tax entity part of a business is how the government sees it and how the tax bill is determined. Here are some details to better describe both legal entities and tax entities

Tax Entity

Setting up your business as an LLC, even if you are a single individual, has its distinct advantages, and how it is taxed is one of them. You can set up an LLC as a single person (sole proprietorship) or multiple-member (partnership) and then taxed accordingly.

The IRS offers an additional option, making it possible to request a designated S-Corporation or C-Corporation. Just by simply filling out more paperwork, while you can choose the option of an S-Corporation or C-Corporation as an LLC, it is made difficult and cumbersome by strict guidelines to qualify for.

If you decide to look into the S-Corporation or C-Corporation option, you must file the paperwork to be designated an S-Corporation by filing an IRS form 2553. If your business qualifies, it will be taxed accordingly. If you file an IRS form 8832 and qualify, it will be taxed as a C-Corporation.

As a C-Corporation, there is an additional amount of taxation or double taxation called the corporate tax. This type of tax does not get levied against an S-Corporation.

Establishing your business as an LLC helps you to shield yourself from paying a corporate tax on profits. It is seen by the IRS as a pass-through entity for tax purposes, and therefore you as the owner are considered self-employed.

As such, you only pay individual tax, and in the case of a multi-member LLC, each person would be taxed separately. As far as taxation goes, you must weigh all of your options and consider them very carefully before deciding that involves taxes.

How To Form An LLC

A few business entities and structures, including Corporations, S-Corps,  and Limited Liability Companies (LLCs). If you are interested in forming an LLC or want to know how to create an LLC, follow these easy steps. 

Step One: Name the LLC

The first thing to do when forming your LLC is to give it a name. It should comply with the State rules regarding company names. You can find those rules on the Secretary of State website for your state. While the rules can vary between states, here are some principle guidelines;

• The name will be unique and different from other LLCs operating within the state. You should have no problem checking the state database for your name. It’s also possible to reserve a name so no one else can claim it. This reservation costs a fee and is only available for a limited time, however. This does help ensure that your company can use the desired name once all the paperwork has been filed. Once again, though, a reserved name can’t breach the trademark of another business.
• Most of the 50 states require the company name to have included “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” or a similar moniker. Which terms and abbreviations are considered appropriate can vary by state. You can find the rules for your state on the state website.
• The company name can’t include terms such as “insurance,” “corporation,” and “bank.” Once again, different states can have their own rules on this.

Step Two: Choose a Registered Agent

All states require an LLC to have a registered agent for the service of process. That means that an agent has to work with your LLC and physically accept the legal papers on your behalf in the event they are issued. There’s no need for this agent to be a person, however. It could be any state resident where you do business or a business entity registered to do business in the state. What matters is that the agency/resident has a physical address within the state of operation.

Step Three: File Articles of Organization

You’re now ready for the third step, filing paperwork with the state to legally recognize the LLC and begin operation. This is sometimes referred to as “filing articles of organization” and is called “certificate of formation,” depending on the state. The process doesn’t change much between states and names, however. You have to supply information about the LLC to the state and pay the filing fee. You will generally be asked for necessary information, such as the LLC’s name, address, and ownership.

This is also when you provide the registered agent for the business. This is the person/entity responsible for accepting legal paperwork should your company be used. The fees for filing this paperwork are nominal, but they can vary between states.

Step Four: Create the Operating Agreement

While an operating agreement isn’t always required by law, they serve the same purpose as the bylaws or partnership agreement for a corporate entity. They outline the rules of ownership and operation of the business. Here’s what should be in this operating agreement;

• What percentage of the business each member holds
• The voting power, rights, and responsibilities of each member
• How the company allocates profits/losses
• The means of management and the rules outlining meetings and votes
• “Buy-Sell” provisions outline the procedure to be followed if a member wants to sell their interest becomes disabled or passes away.

Step Five: Apply for EIN and Review the Tax Requirements

Your LLC requires an IRS Employee Identification Number (EIN) unless you are a single-member LLC and have no employees. It is simple enough to obtain this EIN. Just complete the form on the IRS website.

Many limited liability companies and corporates have to register with their Comptroller of Public Accounts. Many states also require that LLCs file annual reports with their Secretary of State.

There may be other requirements you need to adhere to, such as filing annual franchise tax reports. Ensure to check the Comptroller of Public Accounts website for your state to stay updated on the latest requirements.

Other Considerations

Notice of Intent, Business License, Business Bank Account, and Business Credit Card

Notice of Intent

While the notice of intent isn’t a requirement for all states, some will require that you publish a notice in the local newspaper stating that you intend to form a company.

You need to do this several times across several weeks to obtain an “affidavit of publication” through the filing office for your state. Check with the rules on LLC formation for your state to see if you have to do this.

Business Licenses

You will be required to obtain a state license or local license to legally operate within some industries, such as a liquor license. The kind of business you run and where you are working will determine whether you need a permit or not. Check with the Department of Licensing and Regulation for your state to see what licenses you need.