Online incorporation services allow you to procure the necessary papers to establish your business as a separate legal entity. There are several key factors to choosing the best online incorporation services. When selecting a service, you want to focus on what that service provides, what geographic area the service is targeting, what type of corporation the service permits you to create, and what the cost of the service is.
Incorporating a business is a formal legal process that involves filing the appropriate legal forms in the state or region of incorporation. There are many types of corporations, but three of the most common formed in the United States are limited liability corporations, S-corporations and C-corporations. Each has its own benefits as far as taxation and protection from filing fees, and each has its own requirements for filing, including establishing an entirely separate legal entity for the given business. Deciding which type of corporation you wish to form is essential before you can choose an online incorporation service, since you must ensure that the given service will be able to provide you with the relevant documents and forms to create that particular type of business structure.
Geography also plays a role, as each business must be incorporated in only one particular state. You do not have to incorporate the business in the state where you live or where it operates, necessarily, since there are certain states that are more advantageous regarding business laws and laws of corporations than others. For example, many companies in the United States incorporate in Delaware because of the special protections given to corporations within the state. Regardless of where you choose to incorporate your particular business, you must make sure the online incorporation services offer you the relevant information and documents necessary to complete the incorporation process within that given state.
Cost is also a factor in choosing the best online incorporation services. You should find out what the particular services you are considering cost and what that money will buy you. Does the service help you through the process with clear directions and information on all the steps involved or does it just give you forms and leave you on your own? Online incorporation services cannot give you legal advice, as it is considered the unauthorized practice of law, but the service should still provide you with sufficient guidance to complete the process, since that is what you are paying for.