You’ll likely need to file annual reports, create corporate bylaws, hold meetings with your board of directors, and keep track of those meetings with corporate minutes. Articles of incorporation, or certificates of incorporation, are required to document the formation of a corporation. A corporation is a business structure that allows owners to establish their company as a separate legal entity.

Another reason why I like LegalZoom so much is that the services go beyond the basic incorporation process. They offer registered agent services and online attorney services so that you can get all of this under the same roof. C corporations can have unlimited shareholders and may become public and listed on the stock exchange. This means that members of the public can purchase shares of the company, thereby making them partial owners.

Issue stock

Depending on your state, articles of incorporation may be called the certificate of formation or certificate of incorporation. Next, you’ll need to complete Forming a corporation and file articles of incorporation with your state’s Secretary of State office. By doing so, you will establish your corporation as its own business entity.

C-corporations are the most common type of publicly-traded company. According to the country’s Corporation Division, the name of a corporation should conform to the regulations. As far as legal requirements are concerned, the division should be consulted by the owners. It is unnecessary to register a brand name with the country once a suitable and legally available name has been identified.

The Complete Guide to The Best States to Form an LLC

If the veil is pierced, the shareholders will be liable for the obligations of the corporation. By electing S Corp tax status, the corporation itself avoids taxation on profits. In this way, the S Corp resembles a sole proprietorship, partnership or limited liability company. The business profits and losses pass through directly to the shareholders. The shareholders then file their own tax returns and pay income tax on the amount of money they receive from the corporation.

A corporation can only have one director in other regions if it has only one shareholder. A C corporation is a corporation with profits taxed separately from the shareholders’ business earnings. If you incorporate as a C corporation, your business receives limited liability protection. This means that if someone sues your business or your business files for bankruptcy, your personal assets cannot be seized as part of a ruling.

Your corporate name can play an important role in the marketing of your goods and services, so you should choose your business name carefully. Nonprofits are often called 501(c)(3) corporations — a reference to the section of the Internal Revenue Code that is most commonly used to grant tax-exempt status. Shareholders hold the company accountable to produce some sort of public benefit in addition to a financial profit.

Select a tax election

Portions of these profits become the shareholders’ salaries, bonuses and dividends. The shareholders then pay individual income taxes on the money they receive from the corporation. This practice is known as double taxation because business profits are taxed both when received by the business and when passed on to the shareholders.

Generally, all those people who will be initial shareholders may prepare and sign the articles, or they can appoint one person to do so. Your business structure affects how much you pay in taxes, your ability to raise money, the paperwork you need to file, and your personal liability. LegalZoom has everything you need to succeed, whether you’re starting a C-corp, S-corp, or nonprofit corporation.

Choose Your Corporation Type

It helps you keep people accountable and is an accurate record of every action and discussion. Not only can learning how to set up a corporation be lengthy but once you understand how to start a corporation, it will often be accompanied by extensive paperwork. Being a registered corporation can help present your business as more established in the eyes of potential clients, employees, partners, and vendors.

• It’s also easier to transfer ownership and raise capital as a corporation because capital and ownership are raised and managed through stocks.
• From choosing your tax structure to issuing shares and electing a board of directors, online incorporation services take you through each step of the formation process.
• It also covers the responsibilities and powers of the corporation’s management and its board of directors.
• For over 33 years, Puget Law has provided exemplary legal services in the areas of estate planning (wills, trusts, and prenuptial agreements), probate, small business, and real estate.

However, they own some stake in the success of a firm much like the shareholders. On the other hand, their passions might or might not have anything to do with money. However, the shareholder has a restricted role in the corporation because they have neither authority nor the responsibility to oversee its daily operations. Shareholder rights differ relative to the type of investment possessed and the relevant law. During general meetings, some owners have the authority to propose specific company actions. As a result, these agenda issues are frequently included in company proxy reports.

However, some corporations, such as charities or fraternal organizations, are nonprofit or not-for-profit. Whether a corporation can own an LLC is a state-specific question. However, generally, states do not have requirements on ownership, and thus members may include individuals, corporations, and other entities. It is best to verify membership and ownership with your state’s Secretary of State office. One of the most important advantages of forming a corporation is being able to offer personal protection to stakeholders. Essentially, shareholders will only be responsible for what they have contributed to the company.

If so, you must apply for both, likely with both a state and local agency. Complete our simple online questionnaire, or call us directly and one of our team members will walk you through the process. In fact, you should register the name as soon as you know what it will be. Call your state’s secretary of state’s office and ask them to reserve the name for you. The best socially responsible businesses weave social responsibility into their business model, appealing to socially conscious consumers and employees while making a genuine difference in the world. If another company is using an exact or similar name, you may not be allowed to register it with your state.

Far fewer people are willing to invest in a partnership or other business form in which owners have unlimited liability and management duties. It’s a variation of the C Corp, offering shareholders pass-through taxation. C Corps must pay taxes on their profits, and shareholders must pay income taxes on the money they receive from the corporation.

(4) A corporation shall maintain its records in written form or in another form capable of conversion into written form within a reasonable time. (3) A corporation or its agent shall maintain a record of its shareholders. Nonprofit corporations need to follow organizational rules very similar to a regular C corp. They also need to follow special rules about what they do with any profits they earn. For example, they can’t distribute profits to members or political campaigns.

An S corporation has the same basic organizational structure as a regular corporation, but some of the tax advantages of a partnership or LLC. An S corporation pays no federal income tax, except for tax on certain capital gains and passive income. If you’re an entrepreneur looking to become a small business owner, one of the first things you’re going to have to decide on is how to structure your company. Business structure options include sole proprietorships, general partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations. Once your corporation has been officially formed and bylaws have been drafted, hold a meeting of the initial board of directors. Minutes of all board meetings should be recorded and kept with the corporation’s records.

You can form a corporation yourself, use an online business formation service or consult with an attorney. Also unlike sole proprietorships or partnerships, a corporation can only be created by officially incorporating according to state law. In general, all states require that the business file articles of incorporation with the state and pay a filing fee. Once properly filed, the state will issue the company a certificate of incorporation.

The main advantage of a corporation is the liability protection it provides its owners or shareholders. Liability is limited because the corporation is a legal entity separate from its shareholder owners. One of the best-known and most widely used business entity forms is the corporation. Extremely popular services like LegalZoom and Incorporate provide a step-by-step process and guarantee your forms are filed quickly, correctly, and completely.

A shareholder agreement is not required, but is suggested as a way to protect shareholders when a change in ownership of the corporation occurs. The incorporators or board of directors of a corporation shall adopt initial bylaws for the corporation. Designations like S corp and nonprofit aren’t strictly business structures — they can also be understood as a tax status. It’s possible for an LLC to be taxed as a C corp, S corp, or a nonprofit. These arrangements are far less common and can be more difficult to set up.