What to Consider When Deciding Which State to File in

When it comes to opening your very own small business, you have a lot of decisions to make. What’s your logo going to look like, how many employees are you going to hire, have any initial marketing ideas? And on top of all that, maybe the biggest decision of all, is deciding which state to file in. You can go one of two ways with this: file in the state you’re physically located in, or file in another state. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Ultimately, the decision should be specific to each business because, depending on the states you’re considering, and your industry, one option may be more expensive than the other.

So when it comes down to it, be sure to consider these three factors when deciding where to file your business!

 The cost of foreign qualifying.

If you choose to file your business in a state other than the one you reside in, you’ll have to go through the process of filing for a foreign qualification. This is required of any company that wishes to conduct business outside the state lines that the formation was created in. Once you’ve filed the paperwork, you’re legally able to do business in a state that was not your business’s home state. You can, of course, file the paperwork yourself, but many businesses opt for a filing service to file the paperwork for them to ease the process. Our services, personally, start at $149.

The economic health of the prospective states.

The economic health of a state can be different for different industries. Where the automotive industry might be booming in the state you’re looking at, coal mining might not be doing so hot. There are a couple different reliable resources to check up on the health of a state and your specific industry: Forbes has a good list of the best states to do business in that includes the top industries with each state, and our latest series post, ABCs of Small Business Industry is another good place to check up on the health of your industry overall.

The small business friendliness.  

There are some states that are widely recognized as friendly business states- states that are simply huge supporters of small business and entrepreneurship. Delaware, for example, has earned the nickname of “The Incorporation Capital of the World” due to it not having any corporate income tax and maintaining such a modern corporate climate and economic outlook. Check in on your home state’s business friendliness to see if it would make more sense financially, considering taxes and overall fees, to stay in your state or head somewhere else.