| If you are new to starting a small business, then you | | | | some must be maintained with a greater amount of |
| have likely begun to discover that there are several | | | | recordkeeping. These are a couple of items that you |
| steps necessary to starting a new business that has | | | | will want to consider before selecting a type of |
| to happen before you ever provide a product or | | | | incorporation that will best meet your needs. |
| service to a customer. You might be at the point | | | | There are four basic types of incorporation: the LLC, |
| where you have written a business plan that outlines | | | | or limited liability company, the S-Corporation, the |
| the objectives of your business, and perhaps you | | | | C-Corporation, and the non-profit corporation. The LLC |
| have obtained start-up funds through your own | | | | requires the least amount of paperwork as compared |
| savings or loans to help begin to get the new business | | | | to the others, but it is limited in certain benefits that the |
| off the ground. | | | | others are not. You will want to hire a service that will |
| At these beginning stages of forming a new business, | | | | complete and file your articles of formation for your |
| you will want to consider what it takes to incorporate | | | | company. |
| business. While many new small businesses begin as | | | | If you are doing business under a name other than |
| sole proprietorships, the problem with this form of | | | | your own, then you will also need to register with your |
| business is that if sued, your personal assets become | | | | secretary of state your DBA, or Doing Business As |
| at risk to pay off your business debts. This is a big | | | | name. If you will conduct business in states other than |
| reason why incorporation becomes attractive to the | | | | the one in which you reside, then you will want to think |
| business owner, because it protects your personal | | | | about finding a Registered Agent, who will represent |
| assets should your business get sued. To ease this | | | | you in these other states if legal documents are sent |
| process there are several services on the Internet that | | | | to you. |
| can help you incorporate online or to form an LLC. | | | | You may need to obtain a trademark for your |
| Although you can get assistance from a lawyer or | | | | business, which must be patented. If your business will |
| accountant to help you set up your corporation, those | | | | hire employees, then you will also need to get a |
| options are sometimes out of a new business owner's | | | | Federal Employer Identification Number, and obtain a |
| price range. The cost-effective and easy solution is | | | | business license and pay the fees for each state in |
| incorporating online. | | | | which you wish to conduct business. |
| An online incorporation service can help you decide | | | | With this myriad of details to keep track of when you |
| which type of business format is right for your | | | | want to incorporate, business owners often turn to |
| particular business and needs. Some require more | | | | online incorporation services for the ease of |
| people to be involved in your business than others, and | | | | incorporating online. |