As my one year anniversary looms, it is almost that time again to send in my list of officers (who are all me). Annoying business cost=$125. It's also time to decide whether or not to stick with my current registered agent.
Q. What the hell is a registered agent?
A. If you are an LLC (limited liability company) then you must have a registered agent. There is a great article defining who they are and what they do here http://www.score.org/leg_registered_agent but in layman's terms they are glorified mail forwarders. The state in which you incorporate (Nevada for me) requires certain forms etc. be completed and filed every year to keep a good business standing. As a small business and as a new business, having a decent mail forwarder is very important. The last thing you want is your company to be in default which can result in the loss of your LLC status. Not good!
Q. How do you pick one out of all the RA's out there?
A. I noticed in my research that there are a million and one RA's out there. It's sort of being like a notary, anyone can do it. I found it best to go with a company (not a person) that is large and a member of the better business bureau. Usually the larger companies have more staff to deal with customer services issues or questions. The only draw back is they might be a tad more expensive but it is worth not having to risk losing your status and or paying a lot of extra money out of pocket to get back into good standing. I got 12 months of registered agent services FREE with The Company Corporation because I had them form my LLC which you can totally save the few hundred bucks and do yourself. Now they want to charge me $215 for another year. While they are reputable and have an excellent customer service, there are still companies out there that are worthwhile and do not charge so much. After speaking with a rep from bizfilings.com, I learned they will pay all the necessary state fees (since I am transfering my RA) and only charge $139/year still offering all the things The Company Corporation offers. Another one worth checking out is legalzoom.com
Sort of seems overwhelming but if you have any questions feel free to email me info@isabelladean.com
***MONEY SAVER TIP*** If you have a good friend or family member who resides in the state in which you are incorporated, you can save yourself the time, effort, and money of finding an RA and make them your RA. All you have to do is list their name and address on your state form, pay your fee (which I believe is 75 for Nevada) and make them promise to forward you the important documents the state sends to them to you and on time! Many of the forms the state sends are renewals and are time sensitive. Hopefully, you will never find yourself in this mess, but they could also send you notice that someone is taking legal action against you.
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