You own multiple businesses.
Each business needs structure. Each structure needs strategy. Each strategy needs registered agents.
You need a plan.
Holding company design. Subsidiary structure. Registered agent strategy. Your system.
This guide shows you how.
Structure design. Strategy development. Registered agent planning. Your protection.
Read this. Structure your entities. Never waste resources.
Key Takeaways
- Holding company structures centralize control—using a holding company to own subsidiaries simplifies management and compliance
- Subsidiary structures protect assets—structuring businesses as subsidiaries under a holding company provides liability protection
- Registered agent strategy matters—using a single registered agent for all entities or separate agents per entity affects cost and management
- Structure design affects compliance—how you structure entities determines compliance requirements and registered agent needs
- Strategic planning prevents problems—planning entity structure before formation prevents costly restructuring and compliance issues
Table of Contents
Why Structure Matters
Structure affects everything.
What happens without structure:
- Entities are disorganized
- Management is inefficient
- Compliance is complex
- Costs are high
What happens with structure:
- Entities are organized
- Management is efficient
- Compliance is simplified
- Costs are controlled
The reality: Structure is essential for multi-entity management.
Holding Company Design
Design your holding company:
Holding Company Purpose
What purpose to define:
- Asset protection
- Centralized management
- Tax optimization
- Liability isolation
Why it matters: Purpose guides design.
Holding Company Structure
What structure to use:
- LLC holding company
- Corporation holding company
- Partnership holding company
- Trust holding company
Why it matters: Structure determines requirements.
Holding Company Formation
What formation to consider:
- Formation state selection
- Registered agent selection
- Initial compliance setup
- Subsidiary integration
Why it matters: Formation establishes foundation.
Pro tip: Design your holding company. Purpose, structure, formation. See our multi-entity management guide for design.
Subsidiary Structure
Structure your subsidiaries:
Subsidiary Types
What types to use:
- Wholly-owned subsidiaries
- Partially-owned subsidiaries
- Operating subsidiaries
- Non-operating subsidiaries
Why it matters: Types determine structure.
Subsidiary Formation
What formation to consider:
- Formation state selection
- Registered agent selection
- Parent company relationship
- Compliance requirements
Why it matters: Formation establishes relationships.
Subsidiary Management
What management to establish:
- Management structure
- Reporting requirements
- Compliance oversight
- Registered agent coordination
Why it matters: Management ensures control.
Pro tip: Structure subsidiaries. Types, formation, management. See our multi-entity management guide for structure.
Registered Agent Strategy
Develop your registered agent strategy:
Strategy Options
What options to consider:
- Single registered agent for all entities
- Separate registered agent per entity
- Registered agent per state
- Registered agent per entity type
Why it matters: Strategy affects cost and management.
Strategy Selection
What factors to consider:
- Number of entities
- Number of states
- Compliance complexity
- Cost considerations
Why it matters: Selection optimizes strategy.
Strategy Implementation
What implementation to plan:
- Registered agent selection
- Service coordination
- Compliance integration
- Cost management
Why it matters: Implementation executes strategy.
Pro tip: Develop your strategy. Options, selection, implementation. See our registered agent guide for strategy.
Structure Optimization
Optimize your entity structure:
Optimization Goals
What goals to set:
- Minimize compliance costs
- Simplify management
- Reduce registered agent costs
- Improve efficiency
Why it matters: Goals guide optimization.
Optimization Methods
What methods to use:
- Consolidate entities
- Centralize registered agents
- Streamline compliance
- Reduce redundancy
Why it matters: Methods achieve goals.
Optimization Review
What review to conduct:
- Annual structure review
- Cost analysis
- Compliance assessment
- Efficiency evaluation
Why it matters: Review maintains optimization.
Pro tip: Optimize your structure. Goals, methods, review. See our multi-entity management guide for optimization.
Compliance Considerations
Consider compliance in structure:
Compliance Requirements
What requirements to track:
- Holding company compliance
- Subsidiary compliance
- Multi-state compliance
- Registered agent compliance
Why it matters: Requirements determine structure.
Compliance Coordination
What coordination to establish:
- Centralized compliance management
- Registered agent coordination
- Deadline tracking
- Filing coordination
Why it matters: Coordination simplifies compliance.
Compliance Costs
What costs to consider:
- Formation costs
- Annual compliance costs
- Registered agent costs
- Filing costs
Why it matters: Costs affect structure decisions.
Pro tip: Consider compliance. Requirements, coordination, costs. See our multi-entity compliance guide for considerations.
Your Next Steps
Structure your entities. Design strategically. Never waste resources.
This Week:
- Review this guide
- Evaluate current structure
- Design holding company structure
- Plan subsidiary structure
This Month:
- Develop registered agent strategy
- Optimize entity structure
- Plan compliance coordination
- Review cost implications
Going Forward:
- Maintain structure optimization
- Review and update regularly
- Monitor compliance costs
- Never waste resources
Need help? Check out our registered agent guide for service options, our multi-entity management guide for management strategies, our multi-entity compliance guide for compliance, our portfolio dashboard guide for tracking, and our state-by-state tracking guide for organization.
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Sources & Additional Information
This guide provides general information about entity structuring. Your specific situation may require different considerations.
For registered agent services, see our Registered Agent Guide.
For multi-entity management, see our Multi-Entity Management Guide.
For multi-entity compliance, see our Multi-Entity Compliance Guide.
For portfolio tracking, see our Portfolio Dashboard Guide.
For state-by-state tracking, see our State-by-State Tracking Guide.
Consult with professionals for advice specific to your situation.
