Ask HN: What's the cheapest and quickest way to incorporate a company?

1 point·waxman··2 comments

That, ideally, won't cause problems later.

It's just me, for now. The only reason I'm even doing is it because I'm launching a lightweight app that will be charged for, and I need to set up a Merchant account, tax ID number, etc.

What are some good stock forms? A place to get a Delaware LLC? Etc.

Thanks so much!

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If you're serious about being in business I would recommend you get a referral to an actual lawyer, from a friend or business acquaintance you trust. The "cheapest and the quickest" doesn't usually match up with "won't cause problems later." If you're still in the information gathering phase, I recommend checking out http://startuplawyer.com as it has a lot of great info.

The answer to your question depends on which state you want to incorporate in, and what kind of corporation you want. If you want an LLC in your home state, usually it's just a matter of filling out an Articles of Organization document and sending it with a check for a couple hundred bucks to your Secretary of State. Wait a week or two and they send you back a copy with "FILED" stamped on it, voila you are an LLC.

If you have a legitimate reason for needing an out-of-state LLC (Delaware and Nevada for example have special liability advantages), it's probably worth it to pay a company that does that sort of thing (sets up LLCs for other businesses) to do it for you, that way you know it's done right. Using an out-of-state business means you'll probably have to register with your state also saying you're operating an out-of-state LLC or S-Corp or C-Corp or whatever, and it can have tax implications -- that's why you want to discuss it with a professional.

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