Frequently Asked Questions about our Huntsville law firm and new LLC package
How do you approach working with clients? Can we do the whole process over email?
Yes, we take a client-centered approach to our work and the way we operate. We focus on communicating with clients directly in the manner that is best for them, such as over the telephone, Zoom calls, email, or in-person meetings (pandemic permitting).
We want to meet you on your terms and provide the best service possible in the way you are most comfortable. We can accomplish our work completely remotely and execute all documents needed via e-signature, making the process easy for our clients.
We continue to strive to improve the process and make it as frictionless for clients and new nonprofits as possible.
What are the individual steps for setting up a new LLC?
In Alabama, these are the individual steps we will go through to set up your new LLC:
(1) prepare, file, and pay fees for a Name Reservation with the Alabama Secretary of State;
(2) determine the initial Registered Agent;
(3) draft, file, and pay fees for the Certificate of Formation with the Alabama Secretary of State and the applicable County Probate Court;
(4) draft and execute the LLC Agreement;
(5) apply for the entity’s FEIN;
(7) open the business bank account Alabama businesses also must prepare and pay the Business Privilege Tax within 2 ½ months of forming the new entity (the minimum PBT is $100 per year, payable to the Alabama Department of Revenue); and
(8) depending on the nature of the business, there may also be state and local licensing fees and permits (for instance, kitchen permits for restaurants).
Here is more information on the individual steps we will go through together.
How long does it take to set up a new LLC?
After signing the engagement agreement and processing payment, start to finish, we expect a turnaround time of 5 business days to fully create the LLC and draft the LLC Operating Agreement.
After that, the owner will be ready to open a bank account and begin conducting business. We have refined this process to cut out time, hassle, and extra expense.
We’re proud of this result because the emphasis here is on making the process easy for clients.
Does setting up an LLC help protect my privacy?
Yes, running your business as an LLC can help protect your privacy.
Often clients tell us that they do not want their personal information, name, phone number, email, and home address to appear all over the internet.
Luckily, in Alabama, the owners of an LLC can largely keep their identity out of public view. If set up properly, the public record doesn’t have to list the LLC’s owners and managers.
Instead, the general public would only see is the company’s name and its attorney’s address.
In contrast, DBAs, sole proprietorships, and corporations do not offer this level of protection and privacy for their owners, management, and intellectual property contracts and records. This case also apply in probate.
This amount of privacy is one of the many reasons we consider LLCs the preferred entity structure for new businesses operating in Alabama. Here’s a link to more information on Alabama LLCs and privacy.
How much are the filing fees for setting up a new entity?
In order to set up a new Alabama LLC, the state of Alabama and the particular county in which the business is based each charge filing fees to process the various applications.
Between the filing fees and name reservation fees, the total state and county fees total approximately $225.00, depending on the county where the business is registered).
Here’s more information on the path forward and pricing.
Will you serve as my new company’s Registered Agent?
Yes, we are happy to serve as the Registered Agent for your new business, and do so for many clients.
Acting as your Registered Agent is a service we offer on an annual basis and are happy to discuss with you.
How does billing work? How do you charge your clients?
We are strong believers in flat-fee arrangements and bill the majority of our legal work for set prices whenever possible.
We know that it is hard to plan for a new business when you don’t know what to budget, and we think that flat fees promote transparency, accountability, and mutual understanding.
For this reason, we charge fixed fees for new Alabama LLC entity formations.
Does your law firm do any legal work other than solely Alabama LLC entity formations?
Yes, we help small businesses on a variety of issues related to running their companies.
Our law firm handles entity formation and the start-up phase and also assists our clients with their ongoing legal needs.
Such services include estate planning, probate, contract drafting, trademarks, copyrights, and intellectual property licenses, government regulatory compliance, financings, and government licensing/permitting matters. We can draft a variety of contracts and agreements for you.
We focus on understanding our clients’ needs as the basis for the solutions and services we offer.
Do I really need a lawyer to set up an LLC? Why should I work with you?
Alabama law allows individuals to set up LLCs on their own. If you would prefer to review the law and set up a company by yourself, you can do it.
Even if it may take several weeks of research and processing for an individual to set up a company on their own, it’s a good option for some people who like to take on big projects, learn the law, and tackle things on their own.
Also, there are online services that can help you fill out the pre-drafted forms – for very simple processes, online providers offer basic assistance and can cut down on some of your time locating information on websites.
That said, online providers use generic forms that are not tailored to the needs of individual businesses and make it difficult to prevent or catch mistakes.
In contrast, what we offer is expertise, experience, and efficiency – we have set up many companies over the last several years and have developed our processes to make the experience as efficient as possible.
We can complete the entity formation process in a few hours, start to finish. We also have worked with a diverse group of clients and understand a variety of businesses, common pitfalls, and can help prevent mistakes before they happen.
As we see it, we offer efficiency, security, value, peace of mind, and ease of use. Our goal was to create a service we would want to buy.
We hope you’ll feel that way too!