| Deciding to form a business entity is often a wise | | | | Regardless of how you go about the process, you |
| choice for most businesses. What seems simple can | | | | are going to quickly learn about someone called the |
| quickly become confusing given all the legal jargon. | | | | incorporator. Given the fact we are talking about law, |
| If you want to incorporate, you have a couple of | | | | it is rather shocking that the incorporator actually |
| different choices regarding how to go about the | | | | serves the role the name suggests. He or she will |
| process. Let’s take a quick look: | | | | sign and file the incorporation documents. Why? Well, |
| 1. The first choice is to do it yourself. In some states, | | | | there is one primary reason- it is faster. |
| this is a fairly simple process. In others, it is a | | | | Most articles of incorporation that must be filed with |
| nightmare. It all really depends on your level of | | | | the Secretary of State are designed to be as short |
| knowledge. | | | | as possible since there is little reason to put much |
| 2. Your second choice is to use a cheap online | | | | information in a public document. As the incorporator, |
| service. They will typically incorporate you for a few | | | | the service or attorney filing the papers can print |
| hundred bucks, but then you are on your own. They | | | | them out and fire them off as opposed to sending |
| do not provide you with any advice, so you end up | | | | them back and forth with the client. |
| with a corporation and have to figure out how to | | | | Once the corporation is approved, the incorporator |
| assign ownership, make tax designations and so on. | | | | will elect a board of directors to run the corporation. |
| 3. The third choice is to use a business attorney such | | | | The board will then initiate the stock sales process |
| as myself. The advantage is you get the corporate | | | | and so on. The incorporator will resign from his or her |
| entity and advice on how to function properly and | | | | position and off you go as a corporation. |
| within legal requirements. The downside, of course, is | | | | It is a rare day in the law when a title actually means |
| this is your most expensive option. | | | | what it says. With incorporator, that day is here. |