The incorporation process to register business in USA itself can be complicated enough for many with all its documents and regulations to be followed. Tetra Consultants aims to make this process simple and manageable, assisting our clients throughout each step of the incorporation process to register business in USA. With an experienced team that has assisted incorporations in jurisdictions all over the world, Tetra Consultants is well equipped to ensure a seamless experience for our clients.
State Level Incorporation
- State level incorporation refers to the process of which a business entity is formed recognised within a specific state in the USA. The most common form of state-level incorporation is the creation of a corporation, denoted as “Inc” or “Corp” after the business name. Each state in the USA has its own unique laws and regulations governing not only the incorporation process but the overall operation of the business post incorporation as well.
- To file a state level incorporation, businesses typically need to file articles of incorporation providing details on business name, purpose, location and share structure of the business. The specific state of incorporation may impact the payment of filing fees, annual reports or franchise taxes if any.
- The state level incorporation grants businesses the ability to enter contact, hire employees, own property, and conduct business transactions. Additionally, this subjects them to state level regulations on taxes, reporting requirements and compliance with state laws governing corporate governance and operations of the business.
Federal Tax Considerations
- On the topic of federal tax considerations, each business registering itself in the USA has to obtain a Federal Tax Identification Number (also known as an Employer Identification Number or EIN). This unique identifier is required for businesses to file and report their taxes accordingly. Different business structures are subjected to different federal tax implications. Examples of tax implications based on their business structure are:
- Sole Proprietorships and Single-Member LLCs: Income and expenses are reported on the owner’s personal tax return (Form 1040) using Schedule C.
- Partnerships and Multi-Member LLCs: Generally, the partnership itself does not pay income tax. Instead, the partners report their share of the partnership’s income and expenses on their individual tax returns (Form 1065 and Schedule K-1).
- Corporations (C-Corporations): Corporations file a separate tax return (Form 1120) and are subject to corporate income tax. Shareholders pay personal income tax on any dividends received.
- S-Corporations: Similar to partnerships, S-Corporations generally do not pay income tax. Instead, shareholders report their share of the S-Corporation’s income and expenses on their individual tax returns (Form 1120S and Schedule K-1).
Compaliance and Regulatory Bodies in the USA
- With countless regulatory and compliance rules to be followed by newly incorporated companies. It is vital to stay updated regarding the latest regulation updates. An example of certain regulatory bodies to look out for are:
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS is the federal agency responsible for ensuring tax laws are complied with in the USA. Companies must comply with federal tax regulations, file tax returns, and fulfil their tax obligations.
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): The SEC regulates and oversees the securities industry, including publicly traded companies. Companies issuing securities or planning to go public need to comply with SEC regulations, such as filing periodic reports, disclosing financial information, and adhering to insider trading rules.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): OSHA is responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for employees. Companies must comply with OSHA standards, maintain a safe work environment, provide appropriate training, and keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC protects consumers from unfair and deceptive business practices. Companies must comply with FTC regulations regarding advertising, consumer protection, privacy, and data security.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The EPA is responsible for enforcing environmental regulations. Companies must comply with EPA rules related to air and water pollution, hazardous waste management, and other environmental concerns.
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC): The FCC regulates interstate and international communications in the United States. Companies involved in telecommunications, broadcasting, and wireless services must comply with FCC rules and licensing requirements.
- Department of Labor (DOL): The DOL enforces various federal labour laws related to minimum wage, overtime pay, family and medical leave, workplace safety, and other employment standards. Companies must comply with DOL regulations to ensure fair labour practices and employee rights.
Industry Specific Regulations
- Depending on the industry that the incorporating company is in, the amount and strictness of the regulations may vary. For example, businesses in the financial services industry including financial institutions and broker dealers are to comply with FINRA regulations that ensure these institutions are remaining compliant and ethical with their business practices. Examples of certain regulations under FINRA include:
- Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML): financial institutions must comply with the BSA and implement AML to detect and prevent money laundering and other illicit activities. Additionally, they are required to have an effective customer due diligence procedure in place to monitor financial transactions and report any form of suspicious transactions to the authorities.
- Customer Identification Program (CIP): Financial institutions must establish and maintain these customer identification programs to verify the identity of the customer opening new accounts. This consists of gathering information regarding their name, address, date of birth and identification documents from reliable sources.
Corporate Governance
- Corporate governance refers to the system and rules a company is directed and controlled. It encompasses the relationship between different stakeholders such as board of directors, shareholders, management and more, all trying to achieve transparency, accountability and integrity in the decision making process of a company.
- Corporate governance helps ensure that companies who are partaking in USA company registration adhere to the specific industry regulations, filing obligations, reporting standards and legal requirements. Building a stronger foundation of corporate governance during registration keeps the company compliant in the long run.
Intellectual Property Protection
When registering a business in the USA, it is important to consider intellectual property rights and take steps to protect your own.
There are generally various forms of intellectual property rights in the USA, including:
- Copyright: protects original works of authorship.
- Trademark: protects brands, logos and symbols used to distinguish companies or products.
- Patents: grants exclusive rights to inventors for new inventions, processes or designs.
- Trade secrets: Protects confidential and proprietary information, such as formulas, algorithms, or customer lists.
It is important to take note of intellectual property rights during registration as it may benefit your company through ways such as:
- Exclusive Rights: It grants only you the rights to make money off your creations and prevents others from having unauthorised access to your creations.
- Competitive Advantage: Intellectual property rights can give your company a competitive edge by allowing you to differentiate yourself from competitors.
- Asset Value: Intellectual property can be valuable assets that are intangible but still contribute to the overall value of your company, possibly attracting more investors and buyers in the future.
- Licensing and Monetization: You can licence or sell your intellectual property should you choose to share your creations in order to form new revenue streams for your business.
- Legal Protection: Registered intellectual proeprties (IP) offers legal recourse against infringement, allowing you to sue for damages and compensation.
Conclusion
- Overall, Tetra Consultants remains committed to providing a seamless incorporation process for all our clients. We remain updated to all the regulatory and legal changes in your desired industry and country of incorporation to ensure you have all the information you need to make the most informed decision about your business.
- Contact us to know more about how to register company in USA and our team of experts will revert within the next 24 hours.
