Service
Business formation
Forming a business starts with choosing the right structure and ends when federal and state tax accounts are open and the books are set up. We work through these steps in order and set up your accounting for the first month.
2026 examples. Figures, rates and dates on this page change by year; check current IRS and state guidance before you rely on them.
What the service covers
- 01Choosing a sole proprietorship, LLC, S corporation or C corporation
- 02Reviewing the tax effect of an S corporation election (Form 2553)
- 03Applying for an employer identification number (EIN)
- 04State registration for sales tax and payroll withholding
- 05Coordinating state formation filings with your attorney
- 06Bookkeeping and payroll plan for the first period
Which structure fits your business?
The choice depends on the number of owners, personal liability, how you plan to take money out of the business and the tax that follows. A single-member LLC is taxed like a sole proprietorship by default, while an S corporation election changes how owners are paid and how self-employment tax applies.
A guide that compares the options is linked at the bottom of this page. Before you decide, we go over the numbers for your own situation in a meeting.
What happens in the first month?
Once the entity exists, the bookkeeping starts too. A business bank account, how you invoice customers, how receipts are tracked and, if you hire, new hire paperwork are settled in the first weeks.
Small gaps at the start make every later filing slower. That is why you get the first month's document list in writing.
Related calculators
Related guides
Sole proprietorship, LLC or S corp: the key differencesHow a sole proprietorship, an LLC and an S corporation differ in liability, federal tax treatment, setup steps and bookkeeping, plus questions to ask first.
Closing a business: a federal and state tax checklistTax steps for closing a business: final returns, Form 966, final payroll filings, reporting asset sales, closing the IRS account and dissolving with the state.
Meeting
Call to talk about business formation for your business. Bringing the documents listed here to the first meeting makes the review easier.