

BOA in Centreville,VA will register your company for free - nodemaker
http://nodemaker.posterous.com/bank-of-america-will-start-your-company-for-f

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davidw
While it's probably not a great idea to do this - the bank just wants to get
you signed up for the account and doesn't likely care too much that your
company is set up just right - I think it demonstrates one of the advantages
the US has over places like much of continental Europe: it's mostly very easy
and cheap to register an LLC or even an Inc. Of course, you _can_ spend a lot
of money on lawyers, but nothing says you _must_ do so.

Registering an Srl in Italy costs at least something like 2500 Euro, and
you're really supposed to have more in the bank. Together with some other
people, I've been promoting a reform ( <http://www.srlfacile.org> ) but in the
end what got through is fairly weak stuff, and we'll have to keep fighting. (I
did, however, get to speak very briefly at the press room at the Italian
equivalent of the White House, which was an interesting experience which I'll
write up some day).

~~~
BerislavLopac
<http://www.doingbusiness.org/rankings> \-- order by the second column. The US
is #13, Italy is #77. Surprisingly, Macedonia is #6 (and #1 in Europe!), which
proves that such a reform is possible.

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seanmccann
Incorporating a business is more than just "get it done". The inc docs are the
easy part, running and maintaining it are much more difficult. The inc docs
should involve a lot more thought and effort. Seeking the help of a lawyer is
often required. Who knows what BOA has in their cookie cutter documents.
Beware!

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tptacek
The documentation for setting up an LLC largely is cookie-cutter stuff. Most
of the company formation issues that implicate lawyers involve equity
allocation and IP rights; if you have a non-dramatic founding team and can
defer questions about vesting and control, you can probably skip the lawyer.

Meanwhile (I'm a broken record on this): it's better to be incorporated than
not incorporated; the contract liability protection you get from doing
business as a corporation is significant.

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mgkimsal
Getting an EIN is about 4 minutes on the IRS website and is free. The other
stuff, yeah, it might save you some time/money, but probably not very much,
unless VA is more cumbersome than other states.

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chaostheory
> Now I asked the guy if this is offered at every BOA branch, but he said this
> service is offered at that particular branch only.

The title is misleading

~~~
nodemaker
Yes you are right.Edit made.

More elaborately he told me that he knew for sure that none of the other
branches in Virginia offered this service.

Some branch in California could be offering something similar.

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georgieporgie
Starting a business is extremely simple and very cheap (except CA, where it's
$800 minimum per year, which is ridiculous). Look at Nolo Press books for
legal questions you might have, or pay for lawyer consultation.

Keep in mind that if you like in, say, CA, and start your business in VA, you
1) are on the hook for CA taxes so long as nexus is established (primarily, if
you live in CA) and 2) have to register as a foreign entity in any state in
which you conduct any business beyond sales, otherwise you lose the legal
protection of a corporation.

I always point these out to people because so many start companies in NV or
DE, but it's all pointless once examine the legal implications. Unless you're
a big enough company to have staff lawyers, you almost certainly don't want to
incorporate outside your home state.

~~~
dotBen
_Unless you're a big enough company to have staff lawyers, you almost
certainly don't want to incorporate outside your home state._

If you're looking to incorporate a future/aspired venture-funded startup you
need to incorporate as a Delaware C-Corp, regardless of your state of nexus.
That's just what any investor is expecting.

~~~
georgieporgie
I don't see why you can't simply move your corporation when the need arises.
I've already done it once, it just took a call and a letter to the IRS.

In the meantime, if any legal problems come up, you're going to have to go to
court in Delaware (maybe you can force something in all EULAs that designate
your local courts), plus you're going to have to file to do business in your
state of nexus.

