There are many benefits to incorporating your business in the United States. Incorporating your business helps you:
- protect your personal assets
- transfer ownership of your company without a lot of hassle
- protect your credit rating.
There are also quite a few tax benefits to incorporating in the United States. Many business owners have found that it is far easier to set up a 401K when they own a corporation instead of a private business.
The only drawback to incorporation is that it can be a lengthy and detailed process. It is a good idea to hire a professional to help you go through the process of incorporation to make sure that you get all of the details correct. The last thing you want to deal with is being denied your corporation certification because you forgot to sign a form or put down the wrong phone number for a board member!
Here are the steps you need to follow if you want to learn how to incorporate in the United States:
1. Fill out and file your Articles of Incorporation with your State's Secretary of State Office and pay the filing fee. The Articles of Incorporation will list your company's chosen name (make sure it hasn't been taken already), the purpose your business will serve, and how much and what kind of stock shares your company will have. The filing fee ranges from twenty five to one thousand dollars depending on the state
you are incorporating in.
2. File your Corporate Bylaws with the State. These corporate bylaws will cover a number of things including but not limited to:
-When annual shareholder meetings will take place
-Who is allowed to vote on company matters
-How shareholders will be notified of other meetings
-How board members will be elected
-How officers will be elected
-The process that must be followed for a person's resignation
3. Trademark your Corporation's name, slogan, logo and any other branding information. Trademarking is not usually required by the State, but it is a good idea. Trademarking protects you and your corporation against lawsuits in the future and gives you legal ground if someone tries to use any part of your corporate identity without first getting your permission.
Some business owners choose to incorporate their businesses in a state that is not his state of residence. It is a good idea to make sure that you follow the laws of the state in which you are incorporating.
Some states require that, before a business incorporates within its borders, that it be able to show proof of having done business on a regular basis within that state. Some states only ask that you show intent to do business regularly within that state.
Your lawyer or incorporation professional can help you make sure that you follow the laws to the letter and that you mind all of the details--this is why it is better to have someone help you than to try to incorporate yourself!
Author Resource:-
Scott Letourneau is the CEO of NCP,Inc. and an authority in helping people form entities,grow their business,and protect the assets of that business. For more info contact: Scott Letourneau at 702-367-7373 or www.nvinc.com
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