It’s not as intimidating as it may sound – when incorporating a small business online, the article of incorporation establishes the existence of your corporation in the particular state you are in and reveals identifying information and basic operating characteristics about your company.
Articles of Incorporation are typically filed with the Secretary of State’s office (or whichever agency handles business registration) in the particular state you are incorporating in.
It’s pretty easy to write one yourself, or a business attorney can easily prepare one for you…at a minimum, they must include:
- Name and address of corporation or primary location of business
- Corporate purpose (usually stated in broad language, like a mission statement)
- Name and address of Registered Agent
- Stock information – number, designation and value of any stock shares you are issuing or plan to issue
Many states provide templates so incorporators can easily create their own articles – here’s an example of articles of incorporation courtesy of the Illinois Secretary of State – many other states have templates so simply refer to their Secretary of State’s website
Online incorporation service MaxFilings.com provides full services for incorporating a small business online – including the Articles of Incorporation. Form your incorporation in just a short time, or save your information and return later.