LegalZoom is a large company that provides a wide range of services, from LLC training to drafting wills and deeds to legal advice. Here we focus only on services related to the creation of the company and the ongoing operation. Take, for example, its training packages. The most basic economy package is a flat rate of $79 plus government fees. That`s pretty much in line with its competitors. Standard and Express Gold plans, on the other hand, are significantly more expensive at $329 and $349, respectively. The total base cost of forming or registering an LLC in Florida is $125, including the fees for filing articles of incorporation and appointing the registered agent. A registered agent is a person or entity authorized to receive litigation services and other official legal documents and communications on behalf of your LLC. This is the person or entity that receives legal documents, government correspondence, tax forms, as well as notices of lawsuits on behalf of the LLC.

Here`s a closer look and breakdown of all the fees required to form an LLC in California. The size of LegalZoom also allows it to offer an even wider range of services than its competitors. Some of its more specialized legal services, such as intellectual property protection, may not apply to all business owners. Instead, when it comes to the online legal document templates provided by LegalZoom, there is an ideal point based on someone`s schedule, budget, and paperwork convenience that determines whether LegalZoom is the right choice. The EIN is the number that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses to identify your business. It`s free to request one on the IRS website. However, if you want to skip this step, you can pay LegalZoom to do it for you. Obtaining the EIN is an essential legal step in starting your business – without it, you can`t file taxes. LegalZoom offers a “compliance calendar” tool that helps business owners stay on top of things. They set up an online calendar and send you notifications via SMS and/or email. With their tool, you don`t have to worry about temporarily closing or paying excessive fees for a missed filing date.

During the checkout process, you will come across several offers. There is a business tax preparation offer of $99 per month (billed annually) that includes quarterly estimates. A comprehensive tax and accounting plan for $169 per month (billed annually) includes quarterly estimates, tax tips, and a QuickBooks online account. For $49 per month, you get 30 minutes of legal advice and access to legal documents and forms. You could choose yourself as your own AR. However, if you do, you or an employee must be available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to obtain a legal document, such as a subpoena.

If you are not available during this period, you may lose your LLC status with the state. LegalZoom`s fees for forming your LLC can be quite high (especially when it comes to upsells). Speaking of fees, one of the main complaints about services like LegalZoom is the use of upselling. In addition to the features included in the Economy, Standard or Express Gold plans, LegalZoom offers users several ways to sign up for additional services. One such service is a $79 fee to obtain a federal tax number, which is available for free online through the IRS EIN wizard. Others include a registered agent fee for $159, a compliance schedule for $69, or consulting services for $37.50 per month. This may be a minor problem for some, but a breakthrough factor for others. For our own LLC, we ordered the Economy package because we believe it represents the best value of the three service levels offered. Starting at $79+ government fees, LegalZoom offers services like: I read the article (and watched the SlideShare.) Great information, but one question I`m trying to figure out – I want to form an LLC to buy a rental property. My intention was to create the legal barrier to protect my home and other assets of the rental company. As I understand it, the LLC is a passport, and aside from the costs of the LLC themselves and the extra paperwork each year, the tax effect is zero.

Same bill one way or the other. I see the reference to the SE tax. Since rental properties are passive to a layman, I assume this means that the social economy does not apply.