East Bay Business Daily

What is the best state to form an incorporation. Should cost be the only issue?

Thinking about forming an incorporation for my publishing business. I have been thinking about incorporating in Louisiana, they have lowered the rate to only $60.00 and Texas cost is $300! a huge difference. I currently live in Houston, but also have roots in Louisiana. I do not have office space yet, but need to make a decision so I can move forward in many ways. Should I incorporate in Texas since this is where I am living for the time being or take the break and incorporate in LA? What would be my benefits?

Public Comments

1. Depends on what you're after. Every state has it's own set of rules and different states have different negotiated trade agreements with other states. Some states don't share with others. Some of the historically favorable states to incorporate in have been Nevada and Maryland. But these are all for different reasons. Three-hundred dollars is not a lot of money compared to the dollars you will likely spend in various taxes and other costs. Texas as far as I know is a pretty decent place to do business compared to California or Florida. I've had attorneys ask for as much as $3,000 to produce paperwork for incorporating in CA. Furthermore, different states have different rules regarding where you conduct your business in relation to the state where you are incorporating. Check with both of the state taxation agencies to see what is required of their corporations. Then pay special attention to costs of various taxes that will affect your business ongoing. As for TX vs. LA... I rode out Rita in the Brazos Valley, better than in the bayou... just my opinion. Good luck with your business!