.. continued from yesterday…. and all this week and last week…
Okay, it’s been a long time coming (and certainly longer than the 15 minutes Legal Zoom said it would be), but we’re almost wrapping up this online process of incorporating a small business online with Legal Zoom. We’ve taken care of the federal stuff. Now, we’re on to the state questions. The wording here may be different depending upon what state YOU’RE doing it in, but for me, Legal Zoom asked me this:
Most companies that do business in Colorado or have employees there must register with the Colorado Department of Revenue for state tax purposes.
Would you like us to prepare your Colorado Business Registration to register your business with the state and request your Colorado account number? (An additional $49 fee will apply.)
I personally don’t have an immediate need for this, and saying “No” doesn’t prevent me from incorporating, or getting a local account number later, so I’m answering no. This answer depends upon the type of business you are incorporating or your intention on hiring local employees anytime soon (in which case you might answer yes). If you will need a state tax license you would also say yes. Basically, if you’re opening a retail store or restaurant (or something else that sells tangible physical goods to local, physical customers) you would answer yes.
Legal Zoom then asks if you want a “free consultation” with a marketing firm concerning website design. This is a clever co-op up-sell with a partner they’ve procured. Great for them, and perhaps a good idea for others, but I don’t personally need it, so that’s another “No.”
Wow – then the next screen hits me up with what amounts to an advertisement for American Express. It went from clever to … shameless? “Start building credit for your company!” the headline screams. I think I’ll pass.
Then, it says they’ve received all the information they needed. Whew – finally!
So how’s it all end (remember, thus far I haven’t given Legal Zoom a penny)? Let’s find out tomorrow with the big finish to this two-week series….
President of Outskirts Press 