You need legal advice.
You want the right questions.
You need a checklist.
You need to prepare.
Attorney questions. Legal checklist. Consultation prep. Your preparation.
This guide shows you how.
Legal questions. Attorney checklist. Consultation guide. Your protection.
Read this. Prepare questions. Get answers.
Key Takeaways
- Prepare specific questions—come to your attorney meeting with a clear list of BOI-related questions to maximize consultation value
- Ask about your specific situation—discuss your entity type, ownership structure, and compliance status to get tailored advice
- Understand criminal vs. civil penalties—ask your attorney to explain the difference and your specific risk level
- Get filing guidance—ask about filing requirements, deadlines, and procedures for your specific situation
- Document the conversation—take notes during your consultation and ask for written guidance on complex issues
Table of Contents
Why Preparation Matters
Preparation maximizes value.
What happens without preparation:
- Questions are forgotten
- Time is wasted
- Answers are incomplete
- Value is lost
What happens with preparation:
- Questions are asked
- Time is used efficiently
- Answers are complete
- Value is maximized
The reality: Preparation enables effective consultation.
Filing Questions
Ask about filing requirements:
Do I Need to File?
What to ask:
- Is my entity required to file BOI?
- Are there any exemptions that apply?
- What is my filing deadline?
- What happens if I don’t file?
Why it matters: Understanding requirements is essential.
What Information Do I Need?
What to ask:
- What beneficial owner information is required?
- How do I identify beneficial owners?
- What supporting documents are needed?
- Where do I get the required information?
Why it matters: Complete information ensures accurate filing.
How Do I File?
What to ask:
- What is the filing process?
- Where do I file?
- What are the filing fees?
- How long does filing take?
Why it matters: Understanding process ensures compliance.
Pro tip: Ask filing questions. Do I need to file, what information do I need, how do I file. See our BOI guide for filing requirements.
Penalty Questions
Ask about penalties:
What Are the Penalties?
What to ask:
- What are the civil penalties?
- What are the criminal penalties?
- When do penalties apply?
- How are penalties calculated?
Why it matters: Understanding penalties helps assess risk.
What Is My Risk Level?
What to ask:
- What is my specific risk level?
- What factors increase my risk?
- What factors reduce my risk?
- How can I minimize my exposure?
Why it matters: Risk assessment enables protection.
How Do I Avoid Penalties?
What to ask:
- What steps should I take to avoid penalties?
- What constitutes good faith compliance?
- How do I correct errors?
- What documentation protects me?
Why it matters: Avoiding penalties is the goal.
Pro tip: Ask penalty questions. What are the penalties, what is my risk level, how do I avoid penalties. See our BOI criminal liability guide for risk assessment.
Risk Questions
Ask about personal risk:
What Is My Personal Exposure?
What to ask:
- What is my personal liability as a founder?
- What is my personal liability as an owner?
- What is my personal liability as an officer?
- How can I protect myself?
Why it matters: Understanding exposure enables protection.
What Are Criminal Penalties?
What to ask:
- When do criminal penalties apply?
- What actions trigger criminal penalties?
- What is the difference between civil and criminal?
- How can I avoid criminal exposure?
Why it matters: Criminal penalties are serious.
How Do I Reduce Risk?
What to ask:
- What governance practices reduce risk?
- What documentation protects me?
- What professional guidance should I seek?
- What compliance practices minimize exposure?
Why it matters: Risk reduction is essential.
Pro tip: Ask risk questions. What is my personal exposure, what are criminal penalties, how do I reduce risk. See our BOI personal risk guide for exposure assessment.
Compliance Questions
Ask about compliance:
What Are My Compliance Obligations?
What to ask:
- What are my initial filing obligations?
- What are my update obligations?
- What are my ongoing compliance requirements?
- How do I maintain compliance?
Why it matters: Understanding obligations ensures compliance.
When Do I Need to Update?
What to ask:
- When do ownership changes require updates?
- What is the deadline for updates?
- What information needs updating?
- How do I file updates?
Why it matters: Updates are required for compliance.
How Do I Monitor Compliance?
What to ask:
- How do I track compliance status?
- What reminders should I set up?
- How often should I review compliance?
- What systems should I implement?
Why it matters: Monitoring maintains compliance.
Pro tip: Ask compliance questions. What are my obligations, when do I need to update, how do I monitor compliance. See our BOI routine guide for compliance habits.
Documentation Questions
Ask about documentation:
What Should I Document?
What to ask:
- What ownership records should I keep?
- What filing records should I maintain?
- What supporting documents are needed?
- How long should I keep records?
Why it matters: Documentation supports compliance.
How Should I Store Records?
What to ask:
- Where should I store records?
- What security measures are needed?
- What backup procedures should I use?
- Who should have access?
Why it matters: Secure storage protects information.
What Documentation Protects Me?
What to ask:
- What records demonstrate good faith?
- What documentation reduces exposure?
- What evidence supports compliance?
- What records should I maintain?
Why it matters: Documentation protects you.
Pro tip: Ask documentation questions. What should I document, how should I store records, what documentation protects me. See our BOI documentation guide for record-keeping.
Your Next Steps
Prepare questions. Schedule consultation. Get answers.
This Week:
- Review this checklist
- Prepare your questions
- Gather relevant documents
- Schedule attorney consultation
This Month:
- Meet with attorney
- Ask all prepared questions
- Take notes during consultation
- Follow up on any unclear points
Going Forward:
- Implement attorney guidance
- Maintain compliance
- Update documentation
- Schedule follow-up if needed
Need help? Check out our BOI filing guide for filing requirements, our BOI criminal liability guide for risk assessment, our BOI personal risk guide for exposure assessment, and our registered agent guide for business address setup.
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Sources & Additional Information
This guide provides general information about BOI attorney questions and legal consultation. Your specific situation may require different considerations.
For BOI filing, see our BOI Filing Guide.
For BOI criminal liability, see our BOI Criminal Liability Guide.
For BOI personal risk, see our BOI Personal Risk Guide.
For registered agent services, see our Registered Agent Guide.
Consult with professionals for advice specific to your situation.
