Business Formations
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Business Formations
Forming your LLC or corporation with ZenBusiness — filing timelines, state requirements, EINs, amendments, and what happens after you file.
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- BOI Reporting — What LLC Owners Need to KnowBOI reporting is a federal requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a law passed in 2021 that took effect on January 1, 2024.
- Business Name Search — How to Check LLC Name AvailabilityBefore you can form an LLC, your state must confirm that your chosen name is not already taken by another registered business.
- Certificate of Good Standing — What It Is and How to Get OneA Certificate of Good Standing is an official document from your state proving your LLC is legally registered, active, and compliant with all filing
- DBA (Doing Business As) — What It Is and How to Register OneA DBA ("doing business as") is a registered operating name that allows your business to use a public-facing name different from its legal name.
- How to Dissolve an LLCTo formally dissolve your LLC, file Articles of Dissolution (or a similar form) with your state's Secretary of State, pay any outstanding taxes and
- Foreign Qualification — How to Expand Your LLC to Another StateForeign qualification is the process of registering your existing LLC or corporation to legally do business in a state other than the one where it
- Business Formation Process and TimelineThe LLC formation process has five stages: ZenBusiness prepares your filing → submits to the state → state reviews and approves → documents arrive in
- How Long Does It Take to Form My Business?Business formation time depends on your state and processing speed chosen. Expedited processing typically takes 1–3 business days; standard
- How Much Does It Cost to Form an LLC?The total cost to form an LLC with ZenBusiness is your ZenBusiness plan fee plus your state filing fee.
- How to Choose a Business Entity Type — LLC vs C Corp vs S CorpFor most small business owners, the right choice is an LLC — it offers personal liability protection, simple taxation, and minimal compliance costs
- How to Form an LLCTo form an LLC with ZenBusiness, go to zenbusiness.com/pricing-formation-plans, choose a plan, enter your business name and state, complete the
- How to Reinstate a Dissolved LLCIf your LLC was administratively dissolved by your state — usually for not filing annual reports or missing fees — you may be able to reinstate it
- LLC vs S-Corp — What's the Difference and When to SwitchAn LLC and an S-corp are not competing entity types — an LLC can be taxed as an S-corp.
- Post-Formation Checklist — What to Do After Forming Your LLCOnce your LLC is officially formed and approved by the state, there are eight essential steps to complete before your business is truly ready to
- Trademark Registration — How to Protect Your Business Name and LogoForming an LLC does not protect your business name from being used by competitors. Trademark registration with the USPTO (U.S.
- What Happens After I Form My Business?After your LLC is approved by the state, your formation documents appear in your ZenBusiness dashboard.
- What Is an Operating Agreement and Do I Need One?An operating agreement is a legal document that defines how your LLC is owned and operated — covering ownership percentages, profit and loss
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