So, you’re thinking about starting a new business in Indiana? Good for you! While taking those first steps toward your dream is undoubtedly exciting, there is no denying that it can be stressful and more than a little scary.
You may be a pro when it comes to handling the day-to-day aspects of your business, but even experienced entrepreneurs find navigating the legal process of forming a small business in Indiana intimidating. No matter where you are in the process, you probably already have a ton of questions, like, “Which type of incorporation is right for me?” and “Can I incorporate my small business on my own, or do I need to hire someone to do it for me?” Finding clear answers can be tricky, but this short guide can help, starting with an explanation of the most common and useful structures for small businesses: LLCs.
Disclaimer: the rates and offerings below are subjected to changes made by the service providers
Although no two small businesses are the same, many entrepreneurs find that forming a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) makes the most sense for their startups. LLCs make an excellent option for small business owners because the structure separates and protects the personal property of the owner from the assets and debts of the business. When you form an LLC, you can also take advantage of some of the same tax benefits as an S or C Corporation but with fewer requirements and greater flexibility when it comes to compliance.
Unfortunately, filing for an LLC in Indiana can be an overly complicated time sink, that can distract you from dealing with what is really important–running your business! That’s why many new business owners choose to avoid these headaches by using a professional corporate formation service, and it’s often more affordable than you think.
If you think that an LLC might be the best structure for your business, check out a few of the top LLC formation services:
The Tailor Brands approach is all about making things as easy as possible for a new entrepreneur to start and run a small business. With a user-friendly website, a long list of included and optional products and services, and tons of resources for new business owners, we offer everything Indiana business owners need to start, manage and grow their businesses.
Sure, you can use Tailor Brands just to set up your LLC, but you’ll be missing out on all the good stuff they offer. Think of Tailor Brands as your one-stop business headquarters, with its wide range of services, including legal advice, a registered agent, operating agreements, EIN filing, and assistance with licenses, permits, taxes, and insurance included with some paid incorporation levels; you can’t go wrong. Besides the legal stuff, Tailor Brands offers marketing and branding solutions with free logos and a website available at some tier levels.
Tailor Brands’s pricing starts with a free LLC option (plus the Indiana state filing fee of $100). The cost goes up to $249 (in addition to the same $100 filing fee), depending on the features and personal guidance you require. Additional products and services may cost extra.
Tailor Brands gets excellent customer reviews for its friendly, responsive customer service, fair pricing, and the fact that users can depend on the site to help take their businesses from incorporation to full-fledged success. Tailor Brands is an excellent choice for those who are serious about their startups, especially newer entrepreneurs who want to make sure they’re getting off on the right foot.
ZenBusiness is a popular corporation-formation platform that goes beyond what some other sites have by offering in-depth tools for running the backend of your business. Users can pick and choose which of the many services and products they want to pay for on a monthly or yearly basis.
ZenBusines can support you with more than just creating an LLC. The site has a wide range of additional paid subscription services, including help with setting up and maintaining a business banking account, pro-level bookkeeping, necessary business license reports, unlimited tax advice, website domain, and hosting available. The standout feature here is the site’s Worry-free Compliance Package, which will automate the yearly filing of your LLC with Indiana to minimize your stress and avoid fines.
If you only want assistance with filing your new business, it’s free (plus the $100 filing fee). A mid-level option that includes more services is $199 (plus $100), and the feature-loaded premium plan will cost you $349 (plus the Indiana filing fee of $100).
Although ZenBusiness is comprehensive and offers decent pricing on some of its tiers, to avoid paying expensive yearly and monthly subscriptions for services other companies offer for free, you’ll need to join at the highest level. Nevertheless, ZenBusiness is a good choice if you have a bigger budget and want to automate your business as much as possible.
The lower tier LLC formation package provides you with the online forms necessary for you to register your LLC, as well as offering business name checking. Higher-priced bundles offer expanded services, including a customizable operating agreement, EIN registration, personalized assistance for business insurance and taxes, access to a database of standard legal documents, and an initial consultation with a business attorney.
LegalZoom offers incorporation services starting from $0 (plus an Indiana state filing fee of $100) up to $299 (in addition to the Indiana state filing fee of $100), depending on the features and personal guidance you require.
With a well-established business, a massive database of forms, and plenty of additional add-on services, LegalZoom definitely has everything you need for your startup. However, navigating the large site can be a bit confusing, and personalized service is only available for those who are willing to pay a premium.
When it comes to LLC formation, Rocket Lawyer offers only one option. It’s a barebone plan that will assist with creating and filing your articles of organization. But you can find most of the documents you need for your business, like an operating agreement and a Statement of Information, on the site’s massive legal database.
If you are a RocketLegal+ member, you can form your first LLC for free, plus the $100 Indiana filing fee. Non-members will need to pay $99 in addition to the filing fee. The RocketLegal+ membership typically costs $40 per month, but the site often runs promotions that can cut the cost in half.
Using Rocket Lawyer to form your LLC is a good idea if you are already a RocketLegal+ member. The site garners good customer reviews, but due to the à la carte pricing, there are many more affordable options available if you don’t want to pay for a membership.
For those willing to pay for top-tier service, same-day filing is available. Even at lower-tier levels, 5 and 10-day filings are available. When you go with the premium plan, you’ll also get everything you need to open a business bank account, access to customizable business documents, a free website domain, and one-year hosting at web.com. Lower-level tiers give you a comprehensive name search and help with preparing your Articles of Incorporation and the forms you need to keep your LLC compliant.
You can get the paperwork for your LLC filed for just the $100 Indiana filing fee. For more services and faster processing times, you can pay the $100 filing fee plus either $199 or $299, depending on your needs.
When you need to form your LLC as quickly as possible, you can’t beat Swyft Filings. However, if you are looking for a platform where you get many extras along with filing and aren’t in a rush, you can do better by choosing another LLC formation site.
Even though you can certainly prepare and file all the paperwork to register an LLC in Indiana on your own. Going the DIY route will probably take much longer and cause you tons more stress than using an LLC formation professional. Since most of the sites listed above offer a no-cost tier, even if you are bootstrapping your startup, opting to go with someone who has LLC formation experience won’t cost you any more than trying to do it yourself!
It is good to know that you don’t have to do it all alone! While it would be difficult to go wrong with any of the LLC formation companies above, one stands out when you compare its combination of great pricing, extensive services and products included at each price point, available marketing and branding assistance, and the hundreds of positive customer reviews from thrilled customers–and that’s Tailor Brand. Find out more about why Tailor Brands is the right corporate formation platform choice for your new startup.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness.
Terry is a serial entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience building businesses across multiple industries – construction, real estate, e-commerce, hotelier, and now digital media. When not working, Terry likes to kick back and relax with family, explore Taoism’s mysteries, or savor the taste of fine Italian red wine.
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