LLC Filing Requirements
Haven't formed your LLC yet? Learn more about how to start an LLC in your
state.
You filed your Articles of Organization and started your LLC — now what? Here are the most important
next steps to ensuring your business is successful.
1. Understand Your Ongoing LLC Filing Requirements
Each state requires different forms, such as your business annual reports and state franchise tax
reports, to be filed at different times. Failure to file these reports can lead to the company being
revoked or administrative business dissolution. Incofile includes lifetime company alerts with
courtesy
email reminders to inform clients of an upcoming filing requirement with all of our state filing
packages — or you can research filing times yourself.
Business Name Trademark
2. Protect Your Business Name With a Trademark
A trademark is an essential asset for your business because it protects the brand name and identity
that you worked so hard to create. When you secure a federal trademark for your business brand, it
gives you exclusive rights to use your business name, logo, or slogan once the trademark is
approved. Federal Trademark Protection also prevents other businesses from using your brand name and
brand identity.
Incofile is happy to help with conducting a trademark name search on your business name. Our
partnered
attorneys will do the research to make sure the mark isn't already taken, ensure the filing is
properly prepared and submitted to the government office, and provide sound legal advice throughout
the entire process.
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1. Legal counsel from an experienced trademark attorney
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2. A thorough search of existing trademarks
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3. A registered trademark with the USPTO
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4. Handling all correspondence with the USPTO until the name is approved.
Finances & Accounting
3. Set Up Finances and Accounting for Your LLC
Once you form your LLC, there are important next steps to ensure your business
finances and accounting are organized for tax season and peace of mind, and that your personal and
business finances are kept separate to ensure safety of your personal assets. With the right
accounting steps, your business will run smoothly and be set up for increased profits and success.
Choose a Bank
The right business checking account for your business should have minimum fees, so that your money
goes into the business or your own checking account instead of spending on hidden, tricky bank fees.
According to NerdWallet — which looked at the 10 biggest banks in the U.S. and some additional
online banks — these are the four best free business checking accounts for your LLC:
Business Operations
4. Set Up Business Operations and Marketing for Your
LLC
Having a great online presence for your business is the number one way people will find you. You need
to start with buying a domain name. Then you need to choose a service to host your website such as
Wix. Finally, design your website using a tool such as SquareSpace or WordPress. Make sure your
website includes important business information such as how to contact you and business hours.
Choose a Virtual Phone System
Your business needs a phone number so that your customers, employees and and vendors can reach you. A
great option is to look into a tool such as Grasshopper, which allows you to get a business phone
that actually forwards to your cell phone, so you never miss an important call.
Design a Business Logo
A logo will reflect your business branding everywhere your customers interact with you — on your
website, on your invoices, in your email signature, on business cards, and more. Instead of trying
to design a logo yourself, try a logo making service such as Wix or buy some really high-quality
pre-made logos you can customize on CreativeMarket.
4. Get Business Cards Created
Once you have a logo, create nice-looking business cards that you can hand out when you’re out
networking or even running errands. You never know when a conversation about your business will come
up, and you want to be able to give someone a place to research your business and contact you. A
great tool to create inexpensive business cards is Vistaprint.
5. Choose the Best Business Tools to Run Your LLC
In addition to accounting software, there is a number of online business software options that will
lift a number of menial tasks and burdens off your full business-owner plate. Below are important
business functions for your LLC and what we think are the best business tools for your LLC.