Base formation fees range from $185 to $870 for LLCs and $195 to $1,219 for corporations.

Your formation fee includes all mandatory state filing fees, so there are no surprise charges.

Optional add-on services include registered agent service ($125/year), EIN registration ($99), BOI filing ($65), and mail scanning ($30/month).

You see the complete total before you pay, with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.

Compare this to hiring an attorney, which typically costs $1,000-$3,000 for formation services.

Read more here.

Transparent pricing means you know exactly what you're paying before you commit.

Your formation fee includes all mandatory state filing fees required by your Secretary of State.

If you select EIN services, all federal filing fees are included in the $99 EIN registration fee.

The only additional costs are optional add-on services you choose, such as registered agent service, BOI filing, or mail scanning.

Compare this to some formation services that advertise low base prices but add fees for document processing, email notifications, or state filing fees.

With Business Initiative, what you see is what you pay, with complete transparency from start to finish.

Most states process standard filings within 5-10 business days, though some can take up to 15 business days during peak periods.

Expedited processing is available in most states for an additional fee ($25-$200), reducing processing time to 1-3 business days.

Orders submitted before 1:00pm EST begin processing the same day.

After approval, you can immediately begin operating your business, though obtaining your EIN and setting up business banking may add another 1-2 weeks to become fully operational.

Read more here.

Registered agent service is mandatory for all businesses, not optional.

Your registered agent receives all legal documents, state correspondence, tax notices, and lawsuit papers on behalf of your business.

While you can serve as your own registered agent, professional service provides significant benefits:

• Privacy protection: Your home address stays off public records
• Availability: Professional agents are available during all business hours
• Compliance tracking: Automatic reminders for annual reports and deadlines
• Document handling: Same-day scanning and email notification

Missing a single legal notice can result in default judgments, state penalties, and loss of liability protection.

Professional registered agent service at $125 per year is a small investment compared to the cost of compliance failures, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars.

Read more here.

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the IRS to identify your business for tax purposes.

You'll need an EIN if you:

• Have employees or plan to hire employees
• Want to open a business bank account (most banks require an EIN)
• Have multiple members in your LLC
• Want to separate business and personal finances

Even single-member LLCs often benefit from obtaining an EIN to establish business credit and maintain separation between personal and business finances.

The EIN application process typically takes 1-2 business days when filed through Business Initiative.

Once obtained, your EIN remains with your business permanently, even if you change business structure or move to different states.

Read more here.

BOI filing is a new federal requirement from FinCEN that took effect in 2024.

Most businesses formed after January 1, 2024 must file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN.

The BOI report identifies the beneficial owners of your business - individuals who own 25% or more of the company or exercise significant control.

Failure to file BOI reports can result in civil penalties up to $500 per day and criminal penalties including fines up to $10,000 and imprisonment.

The initial BOI report must be filed within 90 days of business formation, with updates required within 30 days of any changes to beneficial ownership.

Business Initiative handles the complete BOI filing process for $65, ensuring compliance and avoiding costly penalties.

Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) are popular among small businesses because they offer pass-through taxation, flexible management, and simpler compliance requirements.

Corporations are better suited for businesses that plan to raise significant investment capital, issue stock to employees, or have complex ownership structures.

C-Corporations face double taxation (corporate tax plus shareholder dividends tax), while S-Corporations offer pass-through taxation with restrictions on ownership.

Most first-time business owners choose LLCs for their simplicity, while businesses planning rapid growth or seeking investors often prefer corporations.

You can always convert from an LLC to a Corporation later if your business needs change.

Read more here.

There's no legal requirement to form your business in your home state.

However, forming in a different state requires a registered agent in your formation state and foreign qualification in your home state if you conduct business there.

You may be subject to taxes in both your formation state and states where you operate.

For most small businesses operating primarily in one state, forming locally is typically the most cost-effective option.

You can always expand to other states later through foreign qualification when your business grows.

Once your formation is approved, you'll receive official documents from your Secretary of State confirming your business is legally formed.

Immediately after formation, you should obtain your EIN (if you selected EIN services, this is handled for you), open a business bank account, and create an operating agreement.

You'll need to maintain compliance by filing annual reports with your state, paying franchise taxes if required, and maintaining your registered agent service.

Business Initiative provides ongoing support and reminders to help you stay compliant and avoid penalties.

Most businesses can be fully operational within 1-2 weeks after formation, depending on how quickly you complete banking and licensing requirements.

Read more here.

An operating agreement outlines your LLC's ownership structure, management procedures, and operating rules.

While most states don't legally require operating agreements, creating one provides crucial benefits:

• Establishes clear ownership percentages and voting rights
• Defines profit and loss distribution methods
• Prevents potential conflicts between members
• Protects your LLC's limited liability status
• Helps maintain separation between personal and business assets

Even single-member LLCs benefit from operating agreements as they help maintain the legal separation between personal and business assets, which is essential for liability protection.

Without an operating agreement, your LLC will be governed by default state laws, which may not align with your business goals.

Read more here.

Expedited processing is an optional service that prioritizes your formation documents with the Secretary of State.

Standard processing typically takes 5-10 business days, while expedited processing reduces this to 1-3 business days in most states.

Expedited processing fees vary by state, typically ranging from $25 to $200.

Expedited processing is valuable if you need to start operating quickly, have time-sensitive contracts, or need your EIN and formation documents to open a business bank account urgently.

For most businesses, standard processing is sufficient since you can begin preparing other aspects of your business (like creating an operating agreement) while waiting for approval.

You have the legal right to change your registered agent at any time, regardless of when you formed your business.

Many business owners start by serving as their own registered agent to save money, then switch to professional service when they realize the benefits.

Business Initiative handles the complete change process for you, including preparing and filing the change form with your state and paying all state filing fees.

The change typically takes 1-3 business days to process, depending on your state.

Switching to professional registered agent service provides immediate benefits including privacy protection, compliance tracking, and same-day document notification.

Read more here.

If your business address or responsible party information changes after you obtain your EIN, you must update the IRS using Form 8822-B.

EIN amendments are required when your business moves to a new address or the responsible party (person who controls the business) changes.

Failure to update your EIN information can result in missed tax notices, delays in processing tax returns, and potential penalties for non-compliance.

Business Initiative handles the complete EIN amendment process for $205, including all federal filing fees and paperwork.

If you have registered agent service, you can choose to use Business Initiative's office address for your EIN business address, providing additional privacy protection.

Foreign qualification is the process of registering your existing business (formed in one state) to operate in additional states.

You need foreign qualification if your business has a physical presence, regularly conducts business transactions, or holds property in another state.

Foreign qualification fees vary by state, typically ranging from $200 to $1,125 depending on the state.

The foreign qualification process requires a Certificate of Good Standing from your home state, filing a Foreign Qualification application with the new state's Secretary of State, and appointing a registered agent in the new state.

Operating in a state without proper foreign qualification can result in fines, inability to file lawsuits in that state, loss of limited liability protection, and back taxes and fees.

You'll need a registered agent in each state where you qualify, which costs $125 per year per state.

Read more here.

Ongoing compliance is essential to maintain your business's good standing and liability protection.

Key compliance requirements include filing annual reports with your state, paying franchise taxes if required, maintaining your registered agent service, and filing BOI updates if ownership changes occur.

Failure to maintain compliance can result in late fees and penalties, loss of good standing status, administrative dissolution of your business, and loss of liability protection.

Business Initiative's registered agent service includes compliance tracking and deadline reminders to help you stay on top of requirements.

Setting up calendar reminders for annual reports and tax deadlines is crucial, as states don't always send timely reminders.

Read more here.

Essential information you'll need includes your business name (must be unique and available in your state), business address, registered agent information, business purpose, and owner information including names, addresses, and ownership percentages.

If you're selecting EIN services, you'll also need responsible party information (name, SSN, address), business start date, number of employees expected, and principal business activity.

If you're selecting registered agent service, you can choose to use Business Initiative's office address for your business address, providing additional privacy protection.

The online form guides you through each step, making it easy to provide the required information.

Most people complete the form in about 5 minutes, though complex business structures may take slightly longer.

Common mistakes in business formation include typos in business names, incorrect addresses, or missing owner information.

Most states allow you to correct errors by filing Articles of Amendment with your Secretary of State.

Amendment filing fees vary by state, typically ranging from $25 to $150 depending on the state and type of correction needed.

If errors are discovered before your formation is approved, contact Business Initiative immediately as we may be able to correct them before filing.

After approval, amendments typically process within 5-10 business days, similar to initial formation timelines.

Business Initiative provides support for filing amendments and can handle the correction process for you if mistakes are discovered after formation.

Business name availability is determined by your state's Secretary of State office, which maintains a database of all registered business names.

Your chosen name must be unique, distinguishable from existing names, compliant with state naming requirements (e.g., must include 'LLC' or 'Corporation'), and not use restricted words without proper licensing.

You can check name availability yourself by searching your state's business entity database online, typically available on your Secretary of State's website.

Business Initiative offers name availability checking as an optional service to ensure your name is available before filing.

If your desired name is taken, you'll need to choose an alternative, such as adding descriptive words, using abbreviations, or choosing a completely different name.

Business Initiative accepts credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), debit cards, and ACH bank transfers for your convenience and security.

Payment is processed securely through encrypted payment gateways that protect your financial information.

Your payment is due when you submit your formation order, before processing begins, ensuring your order can be processed immediately without delays.

You'll see the complete total before payment, including base formation fee, expedited processing fee (if selected), registered agent service fee (if selected), EIN service fee (if selected), BOI filing fee (if selected), and mail scanning fee (if selected).

All state and federal filing fees are included in the service fees, so there are no additional charges after payment.

Your $125/year registered agent service includes unlimited scanning and delivery of all state documents and legal notices (lawsuits, subpoenas, tax notices, annual reports, etc.) - these are always free with no limits.

You also receive 5 regular mail scans per year at no additional charge. Regular mail includes any mail that is not from the Secretary of State or a Service of Process document (such as vendor correspondence, bank statements, etc.).

After your 5-piece allowance is used, additional regular mail costs $25 per piece for the remainder of the service year.

Junk mail is automatically filtered and not scanned or sent to you - you only receive what matters.

All documents are scanned and delivered same-day via email notification.

If you need unlimited regular mail scanning, you can add unlimited mail scanning for $30/month in select states (AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, MT, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, TX, UT, VA, WA, WY).

With registered agent service, you receive 5 regular mail scans per year included in your $125/year fee.

Regular mail includes any mail that is not from the Secretary of State or a Service of Process document - such as vendor correspondence, bank statements, or other business mail.

State documents and legal notices (lawsuits, subpoenas, tax notices, annual reports) are always unlimited and free - there are no limits on these.

After your 5-piece allowance is used, each additional regular mail piece costs $25 for the remainder of the service year.

If you receive frequent regular mail, you can add unlimited mail scanning for $30/month in select states (AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, MT, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, TX, UT, VA, WA, WY).

Junk mail is automatically filtered and not scanned or sent to you.

All mail is scanned and delivered same-day via email notification.

Packages arriving at our registered agent office will be refused upon delivery or returned to their location of origin if immediate refusal is not possible.

If neither refusal nor return is possible, you will be informed that we have the package in our possession.

We are not acting as a bailee or warehouse and owe no duty of care in holding and/or shipping packages.

If you'd like a package delivered to your address, you are responsible for all shipping costs and insurance.

We will only hold packages for 14 days from the date of receipt and notification before properly disposing of them.

This policy ensures we can focus on our core service of handling legal documents and state correspondence efficiently.