In order to change or convert a Sole Proprietorship into an LLC (also referred to as “incorporating a Sole Proprietorship”), you first need to form an LLC, wait for it to be approved, transfer everything over, then cancel/withdrawal your Fictitious Name/DBA.
Continue Reading →If you already own a home (where you’ve taken title in your name), just forming an LLC will not protect you. A lot of people make this mental mistake. To get the liability protection from the LLC, you’d need to transfer the home from your name to the name of your LLC. You need to do this at a title company, and there will be additional costs.
Continue Reading →The Articles of Organization is the document that you’ll file with the Secretary of State’s office (or similar division) in the state where you are forming your LLC. Depending on the state, the LLC Articles of Organization may also be called a Certificate of Organization or Certificate of Formation… but they all do the same thing: they register your LLC with the state.
Continue Reading →A Certificate of Organization for an LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a document that does either one of two things, depending on the state where you are forming your LLC. In most states an LLC Certificate of Organization is a legal certificate from the Secretary of State showing that your LLC was duly formed and is recognized as a legal entity in that state. Usually in these states you file an Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Formation) and the state sends you back a Certificate of Organization.
Continue Reading →How would you rate this?How to get LLC papers? You need to get the proper LLC papers and file those with the Secretary of State where you want to form an LLC. This is the first step in registering your LLC. So how do you get the LLC papers? First, we need to know the […]
Continue Reading →When forming an LLC, who can be an LLC Member. An LLC Member is an owner of an LLC. This Quick List explains which type of people and which types of companies can be LLC Members. US citizens, US residents, Non-US citizens, Non-US residents, US immigrants, US foreigners, Other LLCs, Other Corporations (C-Corporations and S-Corporations), Other legal entities (besides LLCs and Corporations), Trusts, Pension Plans, and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) can be LLC Members.
Continue Reading →As of 2017, the average cost to set up an LLC is $133. This is the one-time filing fee that creates the LLC by state law. The LLC Filing Cost Average (Mean) is $133 and the LLC Median Cost is $100 (middle of the bell curve). The map and the table on this page show the LLC costs in all 50 states plus Washington DC. Additional information on registered agent fees, initial filing requirements, and annual report requirements and fees.
Continue Reading →This article outlines the requirements to forming an LLC in California. You can start a California LLC by filing a form called the “Articles of Organization” (Form LLC-1). This form can only be filed by mail as the California Secretary of State currently does not have an online filing or the ability to file by fax. California is one of the largest states in the US and therefore is also one of the states where the most LLCs are formed. In addition to its sheer size and volume of filings, the California Secretary of State is just slow. It takes 4 to 5 weeks before you receive back a stamped and approved copy of your California Articles of Organization,
Continue Reading →An LLC Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to receive legal and court mail (called Service or Process) on behalf of your LLC. In most states, you have 3 options for who can be your LLC’s Registered Agent. Designating a Registered Agent for your LLC is a state requirement and it ensures that the US court and legal system function properly.
Continue Reading →An LLC helps protect your personal liability, meaning, it helps protect your personal assets (bank accounts, home, vehicles, and any valuables) from your business in the event your business gets sued. Think of the LLC as creating a legal “barrier of protection” between your business and your personal life.
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