Starting a business is a dream held by most Americans. But many people get stopped in their tracks by the complexity of legal paperwork required to file a business at state and federal level. One website is changing how business is started by providing legal paperwork. Now, close to two million people have started a business easily and affordably.
This website is LegalZoom.com, and it’s helping you start a business by picking the right legal entity to protect your assets.
How to Pick the Right Entity for Your Business
Many people run a business as a sole proprietor or a partnership. But these structures have many disadvantages, including putting your personal assets at risk. LegalZoom makes picking a safer entity easy with simple comparison charts to help you understand Limited Liability Companies (LLC) versus Corporations. This website explains the difference between an S-Corp and C-Corp
designation too. Hint: These designations in companies can either save or cost you thousands of dollars every year in taxes.
Incorporation packages start at $79 plus state filing fees and vary depending on your needs.
Name Your Business and DBA’s
When you incorporate your business, you will need to pick a name. If you are operating as a sole proprietor or partnership and want to use a fictitious name, LegalZoom recommends filing a Doing Business AS (DBA) form with your state. They will file this form for $99 plus state filing fees.
They can help file your company formation paperwork and DBA. But if you are starting an LLC or Corporation, you need not file a DBA.
You must check to see if the name you want to use is available. LegalZoom includes this service with business formation packages. For those who need the best protection for a unique business name, LegalZoom recommends registering a trademark with your state or the federal government.
Before registering your trademark, you will need to check if any other company is using the name. LegalZoom offers articles on how to research your company name and how to register your trademark. They offer basic and complete trademark packages ranging from $199 to $219.
Secure Your EIN from the IRS
Along with company formation, LegalZoom helps secure your Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service. They require this number for anyone operating a business with employees. This service costs $79.
Licenses and Seller’s Permits
Often a company will need specialized licenses to run. LegalZoom takes the guess work out of which licenses you will need in your state. They have partnered with BusinessLicenses.com to offer license packages starting at $99.99 and can handle your local, county, state and federal licenses.
Along with licenses, LegalZoom helps new business owners get seller’s permits. If you plan to sell any merchandise, you will need a permit for each location you sell from even if the sales fall under one company. This is a special service and price depends on each location. For more information, call LegalZoom at 888-381-8758.
Annual Filings Made Easy
As if getting your business organized and started isn’t enough, you will need to file operations agreements, bylaws and resolutions, initial minutes, annual minutes, stock certificates, and much more. It can be difficult to remember when to file and what papers are necessary, but LegalZoom can help with this too. Service prices vary.
Membership Plans for Attorney Consultations
These filings are tricky for the average person who just wants to get out of the rat race. That’s why LegalZoom’s attorney consultation plans are a bargain. Starting at just $36 per month for 6 months or $31.25 a month for 12 months, the Business Advisory plan offers legal advice from respected attorneys.
Each month you can review up to 10 pages of legal documents and speak to an attorney for 30-minutes on any new legal issue with your business. You can review your business plan once a year. This membership comes with access to tax professionals and unlimited downloads from the legal form library. The legal form library has everything needed to run your business.
Conclusion: LegalZoom Can Help You Start a Business Too
LegalZoom is a full-service website that takes the guess work out of starting a business. While anyone can research and file a business on their own, LegalZoom makes it fast and affordable.
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