Blog

An LLC and a PLLC are state-law entity forms used in different circumstances. A PLLC is generally designed for one or more licensed professionals providing a regulated professional service, while an ordinary LLC can be used for many other businesses. The exact ownership and licensing rules are state-specific.Use our LLC formation guide for the basic state filing steps. Before offering regulated... Read more >

To form an LLC in Georgia, you file Articles of Organization for LLC (Form CD 030). You file it with the Georgia Secretary of State's Corporations Division, and it costs $100 online or $110 by mail. Georgia doesn't make you publish a notice anywhere. It does require a $50 Annual Registration every year between January 1 and April 1, and missing that window puts your LLC at risk of administrative... Read more >

Start by separating the filing that creates your LLC from the paperwork you may need later. Every state requires a formation filing, but licenses, an EIN, periodic reports, and publication depend on your state and business. There are six common kinds of LLC paperwork, but your business may need only some of them. State, federal, and local rules determine which apply. Save the accepted state... Read more >

An LLC registered agent receives service of process and specified official notices at the address required by state law. The agent forwards those papers to the company; the appointment does not automatically make the agent an owner, manager, lawyer, or tax preparer. Read more >

Articles of Organization are the state filing that forms an LLC in jurisdictions that use that name. Other states may call the document a Certificate of Formation or Certificate of Organization. The LLC forms when the filing becomes effective under the formation state’s law. Read more >

An LLC and a partnership can both be flexible business structures, but the legal form and its tax treatment are separate questions. A multi-member LLC may be taxed as a partnership while retaining its LLC status under state law.Compare the specific partnership type with the LLC’s ownership, management, liability and filing requirements. General partnerships, limited partnerships and limited... Read more >

A single-member LLC is a state-law LLC with one owner. It can separate the business from its owner under state law, but the owner still has to respect the LLC’s records, contracts, money, and filing obligations.For federal income tax, a domestic single-member LLC generally is disregarded unless it elects corporate treatment. That tax result does not erase the state-law entity or make every... Read more >

To open an LLC bank account, choose a bank and request its current business-account checklist, including required owners, signers, records, and fees. Each institution sets its own onboarding rules, so an operating agreement, business license, or separate resolution is not universally required.For covered financial institutions, the FinCEN Customer Due Diligence Rule generally calls for... Read more >

LLC taxes work through two systems: the IRS taxes your LLC by classification, and your state taxes it on its own track. The table below shows both figures for all 50 states. Each classification files its own federal form: Schedule C, Form 1065, Form 1120-S, or Form 1120. Which one applies depends on your member count, or any election you file. This guide covers every classification, with the... Read more >

A DBA is a business name, while an LLC is a legal entity. Registering a DBA lets an owner or existing company use another name; it does not create a new entity or add liability protection [1].You may need one, both, or neither, depending on your business and location. Choose the ownership structure first, then check whether the customer-facing name requires a separate filing and how it should... Read more >

LLC startup costs catch a lot of first-time founders off guard. The state filing fee is just the beginning. Once you add registered agent fees, annual reports and optional documents, your first-year total can range from $35 (Montana, DIY, no annual report) to $1,300+ (Massachusetts, $500 filing + $500 annual report + registered agent). I've worked through LLC formation across multiple states and... Read more >