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Founder Mentor Guide

LLC walkthroughs

LLC walkthroughs for new owners

Three walkthroughs for every state, built on official sources, with a short list of services scored on stated criteria.

Advice from the Founder Mentor Guide mentors

Pick a walkthrough

50 lessons

Starting an LLC

Each stage of starting an LLC, state by state, tied to official sources.

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50 lessons

Registered agents

One walkthrough per state on the registered agent requirement.

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50 lessons

Registering in another state

Taking an LLC into a new state: the certificate, the form and the fee.

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The basic stages

  1. Land on a name

    See whether the state register already lists it.

  2. Pick the agent

    Every state requires one, and each sets its own address rules.

  3. Hand in the formation filing

    Fees vary widely from state to state.

  4. Apply for your EIN

    It comes from the IRS after approval.

  5. Draft the agreement

    It spells out who owns what and how choices get made.

  6. File the recurring report

    Your state's walkthrough has the dates.

Recommended services, nationwide

LLC ServicesWe would start withMainstay FilingRegistered AgentsWe would start withMainstay FilingForeign Registration ServicesWe would start withMainstay Filing

Scoring policy

How the picks are made

  • Three-year bill (32%): Year one plus two renewals, taken from the prices each company publishes.
  • Work taken off your desk (32%): The jobs the price handles so the owner does not: filing the paperwork, serving as registered agent all year, submitting the recurring state report and applying for the EIN.
  • Year-two price (10%): The price after the first year, and whether a cheap opening bill turns into a larger one.
  • Fit for where you operate (16%): How well the plan suits the state: report timing, late penalties, the agent address rules and the chance the company will register in another state.
  • Honest pricing (10%): Whether the complete price is visible before checkout, with the state fee itemized at the figure the state sets.
The whole rubric

LLC walkthroughs by state