How to Form a Corporation - Step by Step Expert Guide on How to Incorporate Your Business!

Choosing a right structure of new company is a vital- Check with the State that your proposed business
decision that needs detailed analysis of pros and consname is available.
of each available option in terms of your current and- Register your business name and fictitious name for
future business needs. Before we start working onDBA purpose.
forming a new corporation, let us have a quick glance- Register your business as Foreign Corporation in all
on pros and cons of Corporation.other States where you plan to operate.
Pros: The owner has limited legal liability. Corporate- Decide corporate structure for your Corporation.
structure attracts more investors and that offersGenerally this structure has three main categories:
effective capital management options. Under theBoard of Directors, Corporate Officers, and
corporate structure, each group has clearly definedShareholders. Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
role and responsibility. With income splitting, you canOfficer, Chief Operating Officer, and Secretary are the
reduce the overall income tax by taking advantage ofbest examples of Corporate Officers. The roles and
lower corporate tax rates. On the first $75,000 of theresponsibilities of these groups also need to be clearly
corporate income, the corporate tax rates are typicallydefined through various legal documents.
lower than the owner's personal income tax rates.- Prepare, sign, and file your Corporation's Articles of
Cons: Compared to other options, forming aIncorporation. Generally this contains some basic
corporation is expensive and time consuming process.information of your Corporation like name and address,
All corporate formalities need to be observed in totalitycorporate purpose (business activity), name and
that means you have to be very organized at all times.address of Registered Agent, Stock information like
Under the traditional corporations you have thenumber of authorized shares, type & class of
disadvantage of double taxation - meaning theshares, and value of each share etc. You need to pay
corporation pays taxes on its profits and stock holdersfiling fees to the State when you file your Articles of
also pay taxes on dividends. You can of courseIncorporation.
eliminate double taxation with S Corp option.- Prepare Corporate By-Laws for your record. You
Now if you have decided that Corporation is the rightdon't have to file this with State.
choice for you, let us talk about how to form a- Prepare Shareholders Agreement to manage future
corporation. You can form a traditional Corporation orissues related to buy-out or buy-sell situation.
Sub Chapter S Corporation. Pros and cons of these- Elect "S" Corp tax status if necessary.
options need careful review and consideration. In many- Hold first meeting of Board of Directors and start
States, people who are in the occupation of doctors,maintaining minute book.
lawyers, or accountants can incorporate their practice- Issue Stock Certificates to stock holders.
only through a Professional Corporation.- Obtain business license and permits for your
Here are the steps to form a Corporation:Corporation from Federal, State, and Local agencies.
- Choose your business name according to State- Make sure to follow all legal requirements to run your
rules. Some States need you to include word likeCorporation.
Incorporated or Corporation at the end of yourYou might want to check our quality start-up services.
business name. Please try to choose a name that hasWe encourage you to visit our website to learn more
some kind of relevance with the nature of yourabout how to incorporate your business.
business. This helps marketing later on.