From choosing the right state to filing your paperwork, understanding taxes, and staying compliant — our guides walk you through every step of starting and running a Limited Liability Company. Written in plain English. Built for founders.
Explore the guidesBeyond state filings — the taxes, agents, and compliance topics every founder eventually runs into.
From naming your entity to filing your first formation document — the foundational moves every founder makes.
Pass-through taxation, self-employment tax, when to elect S-corp status, and how to avoid the most common LLC tax mistakes.
When you need one, when you can be your own, and how to evaluate commercial registered agent services.
Annual reports, the Corporate Transparency Act's BOI filing, and the ongoing paperwork that keeps your LLC in good standing.
Single-member, multi-member, and manager-managed templates — plus the clauses that actually matter when something goes wrong.
Forming in one state, operating in another — when foreign qualification is required and how to avoid the most common traps.
Step-by-step instructions for switching your registered agent, what actually triggers the change, and how to file the right state form to keep your LLC in good standing.
Why FBA sellers form LLCs, how to choose the right state for an e-commerce business, and the tax setup that protects your storefront and your personal assets.
A practical comparison of the two most common starting structures for U.S. founders — liability, taxes, and the real cost of each over five years.
State-by-state processing times for LLC formation, when expedited filing is worth it, and what actually slows the timeline down — from name reservation to EIN approval.
A clear breakdown of every tax path available to an LLC, including when the S-corp election starts to make financial sense.
When freelancers, creators, and online sellers actually need an LLC — and when it's just paperwork that adds cost without adding meaningful legal protection.
We've tested the major LLC formation services. Here are the three we keep recommending — ranked by usefulness, not by who paid us.
"The only service whose registered agent address actually stays private — and they don't try to upsell you at checkout."
"The cleanest dashboard and the best post-formation tooling — but watch the auto-renew pricing on year two."
"Best free-tier value if you can ignore the heavy upsell flow during checkout — fast turnaround in most states."
"The most recognized name in the space — but you'll pay a premium for the brand, and the upsell flow is persistent throughout checkout."
"Truly free formation tier with no hidden first-year tricks — but expect a heavier post-formation upsell flow than most competitors."
"Built for first-time founders who want branding tools alongside their LLC — bundles logo, website, and domain into one flow."
