A C-Corp is owned through shares, overseen by a board and taxed as its own entity. We file your certificate of incorporation, act as your registered agent and help with your EIN. All online, no SSN needed.
Not sure which structure fits? Take the company type quiz or read how it works.
Filed with the Secretary of State (many states call it articles of incorporation). It names the corporation, its registered agent and the number of shares it may issue. Filing it creates the corporation.
Four parts define a C-Corporation. None of them is good or bad on its own; they are what you agree to run when you choose this structure.
Authorized shares: set in the certificate
Owners hold shares of stock. The certificate of incorporation sets how many shares the company may issue; the board decides who gets them and when, and each issue goes into the stock ledger.
Shareholders elect a board of directors, and the board appoints officers to run the company. The bylaws set the rules for meetings, votes and roles, and major decisions are recorded in board consents.
Pays federal income tax on its profit
Taxed on dividends they receive
The IRS treats a C-Corp as a separate taxpayer: it files Form 1120 and pays tax on its profit, and shareholders are taxed again on dividends. A US corporation that is 25% or more foreign-owned also files Form 5472. Ask a tax adviser how this applies to you.
States require a yearly report and some charge franchise tax. A Delaware corporation files its annual report by March 1, with a $50 fee and franchise tax of at least $175 (authorized shares method) or $400 (assumed par value method). Compare states.
Sources: IRS: Forming a corporation · IRS: About Form 5472 · Delaware: Annual report and franchise tax. Checked Sept 2026. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Both protect the owners' personal assets and both can be formed without an SSN. They differ in how they are owned, run and taxed.
Two questions decide most cases: will you raise money from investors, and will you give shares to employees or advisers? The company type quiz asks exactly those. For tax questions, talk to a tax adviser.
Read about the LLCWe set up the company and its paperwork with the state. Running the corporation, and tax and legal advice, stay with you and your advisers.
We don't give tax or legal advice, and we don't promise tax savings, funding or bank approval.
Everything is done online. Processing times vary; the state and the IRS set them.
Where you incorporate sets your fees and yearly filings. Compare states.
Pick a plan and your company name. We prepare and file the certificate of incorporation and name our registered agent.
We prepare the IRS application for your company's tax ID. No SSN is needed; the IRS sets the timing.
Adopt bylaws, appoint officers, issue shares, then keep up with the annual report and taxes.
Three parts, shown separately: your Registate plan, the state filing fee (added at checkout, it differs for corporations and LLCs) and the state's yearly fees and taxes. Checkout currently supports California, DC, Delaware, Florida, New York, Texas and Wyoming.
Documents, taxes, investors and yearly costs, answered plainly.
Yes. You don't need to be a US resident, visit the US or have an SSN. Everything is done online: we file your certificate of incorporation, act as your registered agent and prepare your EIN application for the IRS.
It depends on your situation, so we don't say one is better. A C-Corp pays federal income tax on its own profit and shareholders are taxed on dividends; an LLC is pass-through by default. A tax adviser who knows your home country's rules can tell you which fits.
Many venture investors ask for a Delaware C-Corp, but it's their preference, not a legal rule, and forming one doesn't guarantee funding. If you plan to raise money, ask your investors or their lawyers what they expect before you choose.
We prepare and file the certificate of incorporation with the state. Bylaws, the board consent that appoints officers and the stock issuance are internal documents your company adopts after filing; they are not filed with the state.
Your plan renewal, the state's yearly report and any franchise tax, and your tax returns. In Delaware, for example, the annual report is due March 1 with a $50 fee and a minimum franchise tax of $175 under the authorized shares method. The pricing page lists plan prices and state fees separately.
Yes, the IRS doesn't charge for an EIN. If you'd rather not deal with the IRS forms yourself, we prepare and submit the application for you as a paid service. The IRS sets the processing time.
