A registered agent or a registered address is not only essential to the operations of every corporation or limited liability company, it's part of the law. Since a corporation or registered company is legally its own entity, separate from the owner, the company can be sued and served papers. This means that there must be someone and someplace to whom and where these papers will be served.
Choosing the right registered agent is vital to the success or failure of your business. If you pick the wrong person, your tax papers and other legal documents can be mishandled, which can lead to disaster. Learn the steps you need to take and the things to consider when choosing a registered agent for business purposes, and where to find the best.
Acting as Your Own Registered Agent
Many small business owners choose to act as their own registered agent. This is allowed and perfectly legal in every state, so long as you live in the state in which you do business. In some states, the business can act as its own registered agent by simply providing an address where someone who represents the business resides or operates.
This is not always the best idea. You'll need to be able and available to receive paperwork during regular business hours, which means that it can interfere with your regular operations (who wants to get served with legal papers while talking with customers?). Your address will also be publicly listed; if you're working from home, this opens your house up to targeting by unscrupulous individuals.
Choosing a Registered Agent for Business
For these reasons, many people choose another person as their registered agent for business. Picking the right agent, however, can be tricky. Most states don't allow a P.O. Bos for an address, and you'll need someone who can operate with discretion. It's a good idea to choose someone with a vested interest in your success.
Many people choose someone associated with the company—a lawyer, accountant or the like. These can be good choices, but they can also be very expensive. For this reason, more and more small businesses are going with an outside agency to provide agent services.
The Outside Agency as Registered Agent
Many states provide listings of registered agent services, and many of the best provide services in several or even all fifty states. This latter can be a great choice for businesses that wish to expand their operations across state lines, or who live in a different state than that in which their business is established.
Outside agencies can be cheaper than an attorney or CPA, and will have a great deal of experience in operating in this fashion. Agencies also know how to operate discretely; their own business depends upon it, in fact. Make sure you choose a well-regarded agency with a legacy of service and solid reviews.
If you're looking for the best option for registered agent services, no matter what state you're in, start with InCorp. We offer complete registered agent services at a low cost, with comprehensive and reliable registered agent for business services. For more information, get in touch with us today!