Inc Authority Review: The All-in-One Guide for 2024

To a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs, kick-starting a business is synonymous with piles of paperwork. While there are many services that offer to help you set up your business for a fee, Inc Authority has set itself apart by offering its services at no cost to you. Sure, you could always try to file everything yourself, but the process can be confusing and complicated.

With Inc Authority, you can get the support you need without drawing your budget. Join us as we elaborate on everything there is to know about forming an LLC with Inc Authority.

What Is Inc Authority?

Inc Authority has been offering free LLC registration for more than 30 years now. This company provides an array of services designed to help new businesses navigate the complexities of setting up an LLC or corporation. 

In addition, if you’re looking for assistance with legal paperwork or just need a hand figuring out all the requirements, Inc Authority can provide the guidance you need at an affordable price.

Their goal is to help entrepreneurs like you focus on building your business without the stress of paperwork and red tape.

Inc Authority Pros and Cons

Before we delve into detail regarding how Inc Authority works, we’ll provide a quick overview in the form of pros and cons. Here are some of the benefits when working with Inc Authority:

• ✅ Free LLC or corporation formation services, including name check, filing forms, digital document storage, and registered agent services for one year.
• ✅️ Easy-to-use online client portal for tracking the status of services and accessing resources.
• ✅️ Extensive customer support for all clients, including free and paid customers.
• ✅️ Helpful resources for business owners, including a blog on business formation, legal issues, and more.
• ✅️ Live customer support.
• ✅️ Exclusive partner offers from PayPal and ADP.

Just as with any other company, there are also some drawbacks worthy of mentioning: 

• ❌ Inc Authority charges for services like preparing initial meeting minutes and resolutions, which customers can do themselves.
• ❌ The company strongly suggests clients buy service bundles, which may include services that the clients won’t make any use of.
• ❌ Live customer support is only available during weekday business hours.
• ❌ Inc Authority does not offer any guarantees, and all sales are final. There are no refunds available, although customers can cancel recurring subscriptions to avoid future fees.
• ❌ Monthly rates can be adjusted by Inc, Authority, but customers will be notified beforehand.

How Inc Authority Works – All the Features

Inc Authority provides a range of business services that give the necessary push to new businesses. These services include business formation, website design, trademark registration, business plan preparation, and more:

• ▶️ Customers can choose from bundles of business services, including verifying business name availability, serving as the business’s registered agent, preparing initial meeting minutes and resolutions, filing articles of formation or incorporation, and providing annual compliance notifications.
• ▶️ For an additional fee, customers can get access to expedited filings, personalized business advice, and a banking specialist.
• ▶️ Inc Authority’s “free business formation services” include LLC and corporation formation, though customers will still need to pay state filing fees.
• ▶️ The company offers access to a Client Portal holding relevant documents online, such as business credit, business funding, licensing, accounting, business compliance, taxes, logos, payroll services, and websites.
• ▶️ Inc Authority can search for the availability of a business name, free of charge. However, clients can also do this for free through their state’s Secretary of State’s website.
• ▶️ Registered agent services are included with the free LLC services bundle. However, clients must choose one of the Premium Service bundles after the first year of use.
• ▶️ Additional services offered for a fee include website and marketing services, business plan preparation, and trademark registration assistance.
• ▶️ Inc Authority provides its customers with a comprehensive service of the USPTO’s records and state trademark databases. This is to attest that the trademark is not in use by another business, along with 24-hour expedited application e-filing.
• ▶️ Customers pay applicable state filing fees for business formation and government filing fees for trademark registration.

Inc Authority Pricing and Plans

Compared to its rivals in the industry, Inc Authority outshines the competition by offering sizable options for its basic services, without charging customers anything. For instance, you get services including preparation, filing, and storing of all the documents needed to start an LLC, as well as attaining the services of a registered agent for the first year of the business.

Apart from the free package, Inc Authority extends its services via two more plans: the Starter Business Bundle and Fast Track Business Bundle:

How to Get Started with Inc Authority

Inc. Authority’s website is designed to be simple to use and user-friendly, so you really won’t bump into any obstacles while finding what you need. For starters, you click on the Get Started button, and it opens a new window in your browser. Follow the guidelines and enter all the necessary information before you hit the Save and Continue button.

Next, you’ll “meet” with a business formation specialist and engage in a brief consultation. Next comes an account manager who will explain the pricing options for the state you’ve selected. All in all, starting an LLC with Inc Authority is not rocket science, but it might feel a bit off-putting at first since there are quite a few stops before you actually form your LLC.

Which Inc Authority LLC Package Should You Choose?

This mainly depends on your business requirements and whether you have some business background. In general, as a software, Inc Authority will be of most use to small and medium-sized businesses.

The company offers 3 plans, one of which is free but less comprehensive than the remaining two. Making the correct, most fitting decision for your business starts by understanding what you’re looking for. For instance, if your business runs on tight deadlines, choose the Fast Track plan because it includes expedited filing services. 

On the other hand, if all you need are some basic services and the help of a registered agent for the first year, then go for the Starter plan. 

How to Form LLC with Inc Authority – Step by Step

Before you take the first step, make sure you understand your business needs. Next, visit Inc Authority’s website and follow these steps:

Step 1

First, select the state where you’ll be forming your LLC. This is an important decision because different states impose different filing requirements, laws, and legal protection for businesses. After you’ve chosen the state, move on to the next step. 

Step 2

Next, you need to input the name of your LLC. Make sure you enter a unique, non-existent name because states do not allow for name-sharing.

Make sure the name you choose corresponds with the services you plan on offering. You also don’t want it to be similar to another company’s name, which can lead to confusion.

Step 3

Now it’s time to actually start the LLC filing process with a registered agent. This service is available with the free plan (for the first year only), and both the Starter and Fast Track plan. Registered agents will be the official senders and recipients of papers for you. They will also handle legal actions like lawsuits, business licenses, state filings, annual reports, and so on. 

Step 4

This step involves sending in the state documents that basically establish your LLC as a legal business entity. To do so, enter the following details: 

• The name of the LLC; 
• Its business address;
• The line of business the LLC will be in;
• Personal and contact details of the registered agent;
• And names of managers and members of the LLC.

Step 5

The fifth step wraps up the finalization of the LLC. This is where you essentially form an Operating Agreement. The document outlines the roles of the members of the LLC, defines their daily responsibilities, and includes information about funding expectations. 

The Operating Agreement is single-handedly the most important document for your LLC, so make sure you have really thought things through and defined each responsibility and role as clearly as possible.

Inc Authority Customer Support

Inc Authority provides an array of customer support options: you can get a hold of an operator via chat, e-mail, or phone.

If you’d rather try solving a problem on your own, you can always refer to the FAQ section on the site, which includes info on forming an LLC, reasons for working with Inc Authority, benefits of registered agents, and so on.

Unlike other companies, Inc Authority offers its clients US-based staff that speaks both English and Spanish, offering clients assistance with all sorts of business inquiries. 

Overall, Inc Authority’s customer service holds a solid reputation. Based on the reviews, customers seem to be pretty content with how helpful the customer support team is. 

Final Thoughts

Starting an LLC has never been easier, thanks to companies like Inc Authority. The company is one of the service providers that offer the most services in its free plan, making it an obvious choice for a lot of small businesses, especially startups. 

In addition to business formation services, Inc Authority also offers business funding and business credit services for an extra cost. The thriving company has gone the extra mile to offer revocable living trust services, which can be an important part of your long-term financial planning. While these services aren’t included in the company’s basic formation packages, they may be a good fit for some customers. 

All things considered, Inc Authority is a reliable online service based in Nevada, specializing in LLC formation and business ownership assistance. Additionally, due to the fact that it’s been present for 30 years on the market, Inc Authority has established itself as a credible company, helping more than 250,000 LLCs to form each year in the U.S.