Formalizing the legal structure of your business is an important first step. Here is an overview of how to form a C-Corporation with LegalZoom.

1. How to Form a
C-Corporation
With LegalZoom

2. Forming a
C-corporation
can seem
overwhelming
at first.

3. Each state
has its own process for
registering a new
corporation

4. Each state
has its own process for
registering a new
corporation
There are laws to which you
must adhere, forms to fill
out, fees to pay, bylaws to
create and records to keep
year-round.

5. Legal Zoom
Automates the process of
registering a C-corporation
with your state and provides
add-on services to help you
manage the administrative
tasks that go along with
running a corporation.

6. Legal Zoom
Automates the process of
registering a C-corporation
with your state and provides
add-on services to help you
manage the administrative
tasks that go along with
running a corporation.
Automating what could otherwise end up
being a very tedious process.

7. Of course,
some business owners opt
instead to spend thousands
of dollars on a business
attorney who can provide a
higher level of service.
But,
for bootstrapped
businesses, this option
is not always be
feasible.

8. How the
Incorporation
Process Works

9. The entire application process
takes about
15 minutes with
LegalZoom.

10. Information
You Will Need
to Register Your Corporation

11. The Incorporation Questionnaire is
relatively straight forward.
Other questions will
require some thought
and planning.
But in general, be prepared to
provide the following information.

12. The name of your
corporation
As long as there is not another
company registered with the state
that is operating under the same
name,
you have the freedom to select
any name you choose for
your corporation.

13. The name of your
corporation
As long as there is not another
company registered with the state
that is operating under the same
name,
you have the freedom to select
any name you choose for
your corporation.
For more see our guide on
choosing a business name here.

14. The name of your
corporation
As long as there is not another
company registered with the state
that is operating under the same
name,
you have the freedom to select
any name you choose for
your corporation.
For more see our guide on
choosing a business name here.
Click here

15. The Trade Name
Is the name your customers
and suppliers will know your
business by that clearly
describes your specific
business.

16. The Trade Name
Is the name your customers
and suppliers will know your
business by that clearly
describes your specific
business.
The legal name may be Acme Industrial of Dover,
Incorporated but people will know your corporation by
Dover Metalworking Tools

17. The Type of business
you are running
Some states require
you to specifically list
what type of business
you will be involved in.
Agriculture
Utilities
Financial
Services
Manufacturing
Real Estate
Transportation

18. The Address of your
corporation
This doesn’t necessarily have
to be a commercial address.
You can use your home
address, but many states
forbid you from using a PO
Box.

19. The number of shares
of stock being offered
If you are planning to keep
running your business
yourself, the number of shares
you issue is of little
consequence.

20. The number of shares
of stock being offered
Startups and companies with a
greater likelihood of seeking
investment capital, will generally
authorize at least 1,000,000 shares
of stock during the incorporation
process.
As a general rule, the more shareholders you plan to have
in your business, the more shares you want to have.

21. The price of stock
The minimum sell price of each
share is called the par value. The
par value is usually a very small
dollar amount like
$.001
For more on setting par value for a new
corporation go here.

22. Theend of your corporation’s fiscal year
month and day
Of the
Most businesses align their fiscal year with
their calendar year to make the last day of
the tax year
For seasonal business, you can get
permission from the IRS to switch your
fiscal year by filling out Form 1128.

23. The name and address
Of your registered agent
Your state requires you to
have a registered agent on
file. The registered agent is
the person the state sends the
official paperwork with regard
to your business.
For more on how to choose a registered agent go here.

24. How will you document
Important business decisions
Your C-corporation will need to document
important business-related tax decisions and
resolutions. Each state has a method by which
your corporation should conduct board meetings
and how the issues, decisions and results of those
meetings should be documented.

25. The name of directors
stockholders and key personnel
Very often for small businesses, these
individuals are one in the same.

26. The name of directors
stockholders and key personnel
Very often for small businesses, these
individuals are one in the same.
That is perfectly fine.
It only takes one person to dream up a
corporation, so if you’re currently an individual
owner, you are the director, stockholder and key
manager.

27. The number of
employees you have
Whether you have 50 employees or 0
employees, keep track and record that
number in the Incorporation
Questionnaire.

28. LegalZoom’s
three-tier
pricing

29. The filing fee can be anywhere
from $25 to upward of a
few hundred dollars,
depending on the filing
requirements in your state.

30. offers a three-tiered pricing plan for
providing incorporation services.
These are one-time fees:
• Economy Package is $99 + state fees
• Standard Package is $239 + state fees
• Express Gold Package is $369 + state fees
For each LegalZoom package, the core services are the same.

31. The premium packages include add-ons like
official corporate seals, stock certificates,
business forms and two-day delivery of final
package.

32. Keep in mind that these ad ons are optional and
not required for new corporations. For this
reason we recommend going with the Economy
package.
You can see a full overview
of each package here.

33. Keep in mind that these ad ons are optional and
not required for new corporations. For this
reason we recommend going with the Economy
package.
You can see a full overview
of each package here.
Click here

34. You can have
secure a Tax Identification Number
for your corporation with the IRS once the
state corporation documents have been filed.
You can also do this yourself for free here.

35. You can also keep
on file as your corporation’s
Registered Agent so that future
correspondence from the State can be received
and answered by LegalZoom automatically
instead of coming to you.
The Registered Agent service is an additional $159 per year.

36. Conclusion
A C-corporation is designed to distinguish you
from your business tax-wise. This type of
corporation is a legal entity with rights and
responsibilities of its own
and it is taxed separately
from its owners.

37. Forming a corporation will protect the
investment you make into your
business without forcing you to risk your
personal assets.

38. Forming a corporation will protect the
investment you make into your
business without forcing you to risk your
personal assets.
Click Here to Start Forming
Your Corporation With
LegalZom Today

39. Forming a corporation will protect the
investment you make into your
business without forcing you to risk your
personal assets.
Click Here to Start Forming
Your Corporation With
LegalZom Today
Click here

40. And Finally...

41. To learn how to
simplify the process of
running your business

42. By checking or
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