Guides
Business name case study: nine names and what DBA filings do and do not cover
A case study of nine real business names, including Subway, EY and Walmart, plus state filing offices, published fees and what a DBA does not do for owners.
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Guides
Guides
A checklist for evaluating a registered agent service before you sign
How to evaluate a registered agent service: what happens in the first hours after a delivery, renewal terms, exit terms, and when self appointment is fine.
Guides
Delaware vs Wyoming vs Nevada LLC: privacy and deadlines
Delaware vs Wyoming vs Nevada LLC: which state publishes owner names, when each annual filing falls due, and why Delaware's $300 tax has no annual report.
Guides
How a non-resident owner gets an EIN from the IRS without a Social Security Number
A non-resident owner files paper Form SS-4 by fax or mail, writes Foreign on line 7b, and uses Form W-7 only if the IRS specifically requests it.
Guides
LLC Tax Choices and Liability Shields
For LLC vs corporation tax and liability, this overview explains federal classifications, S elections, state-law shields, and when each structure may fit.
Guides
How a foreign LLC owner opens a US business bank account in person
A foreign LLC owner opens a US business bank account in person with an EIN, a signed operating agreement, a passport and a certified utility bill.
Guides
Starting a business first hundred days: Delaware entity filing costs
Starting a business first hundred days in Delaware: entity filing costs, registered agent, EIN, annual report and franchise tax dates to budget before revenue.
Guides
DBA vs LLC for Small Business: Which One Triggers Less Paperwork
DBA vs LLC for small business: liability, renewals, state fees and tax treatment decide it, with Texas and Florida as the worked examples in this comparison.
Guides
Foreign LLC Registration in Texas: What 'Qualified' Actually Demands
Foreign LLC registration in Texas is a sequence with a hard gate at the front. Here is the order of work, what blocks each stage, and where filings stall.
Guides
LLC S Corp Election Deadline and Rules: When It Beats Default Tax Status
The LLC S corp election deadline is 75 days from formation or the start of the tax year. We compare default LLC tax status against a Form 2553 election.
Guides
6 honest notes on sole proprietorships checklist
A sole proprietorships checklist with six practical checks for records, DBA names, permits, EIN and taxes, insurance, and when to review your setup.
Guides
Corporation formation metrics: record checks, not scores
Corporation formation metrics are ten record reconciliations, not scores or benchmarks, with LLC checks for ownership, authority, EIN use and state filings.
Guides
Registered agents: what the role covers and when it fails
Registered agents receive lawsuits and state mail for an LLC. What the role covers, what can go wrong when the record goes stale, and how to change one.
Guides
Entity type selection: three decisions, not one
Entity type selection means three decisions — legal form, tax classification, where you register — plus the questions to ask about defaults and reversibility.