702-871-8678
Incorporate in Wisconsin
What makes “America’s Dairyland” a “good for business” state? To start with, the cost of doing business is low, which means you will be able to save more. There is another important aspect and that is the policies that have been created to drive business growth. These policies include business-friendly tax approaches and the creation of an environment that spurs investment and growth. Incorporation in Wisconsin also means that start-ups and midsized businesses will get a platform that will help them compete nationally as well as globally.
Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, Eau Claire and Racine are top start-up ecosystems according to February 2019 – Silicon Prairie Report. Be a part of this ecosystem today!
Why Choose Wisconsin for Incorporation?
Is Wisconsin an innovation state? According to a report by Brookings Institution, 2015, Wisconsin’s commitment towards advancement in STEM programs has been praise worthy and today, Madison is considered amongst the first in metro areas for STEM grads. The state also has the 5th strongest engineering program in the nation and is the 2nd best state for scaling up businesses. Innovation and a strong business platform have been driving factors for company incorporation in Wisconsin.
Now let’s take a look at some of the salient benefits that are responsible for fuelling the growth of small businesses:
Business Development Tax Credit (BTC) program
The Business Development Tax Credit (BTC) program will benefit those who set up companies in Wisconsin as it is a performance-based, refundable income tax credit program. The primary objective of this program is to encourage business development in the state. The BTC Program is a replacement for the Jobs Tax Credit (JTC) Program and the Economic Development Tax Credit (ETC) Program. Your business needs a WEDC certification for eligibility in order to earn tax credits. You can earn the following credits through this program:
- Job creation tax credits may be equal to almost 10% of the annual wages for employees in full-time jobs.
- Tax credit of 5% on annual wages for employees especially if your business is situated in an economically distressed zone or area
Incentives for Manufacturing Businesses
Company incorporation in Wisconsin and especially in the manufacturing industry can open doors to a variety of incentives that your business can benefit from. Some of the popular incentive programs for businesses in the manufacturing industry include:
- Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit: This program will help in offsetting a considerable share of Wisconsin income tax.
- Property Tax Exemptions: Your business can leverage tax exemptions applicable on Machinery and equipment used in manufacturing and certain waste treatment facilities owned by manufacturers and commercial businesses.
- Sales Tax Exemptions: This is applicable for equipment and machinery used by manufacturers in producing tangible personal property and fuel and electricity used in manufacturing.
- Research and Development (R&D) Credits
How do you incorporate in Wisconsin?
What is the process of incorporation in Wisconsin? What type of documentation is required? These are some of the common questions that you will be confronted with if you are planning to start a new business in the state. The following steps will enable understanding of the entire process:
Business Type
The first step towards incorporation in Wisconsin is choosing the type of business you want to form. You can choose to form an LLC or a Corporation. The type of business entity you want to form can either be a domestic or a foreign entity. The forms and fee will be different for each type of entity. Know more
Business Entity Name
One of the most important steps towards incorporation in Wisconsin is naming your business entity. You have to start by identifying, searching, reserving, or registering the business entity name. There are 3 steps towards business name formation and they are:
- Naming Requirements: A corporation under 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.0401 and an LLC under 2011 Wisconsin Code § 183.0103 should contain words like “corporation”, “incorporated”, “limited liability company” or abbreviations like “corp.”, “inc.”, “ltd.”, “L.L.C.” or similar abbreviation.
- Business name search: If you are planning to set up company in Wisconsin, you will need to search for a business name that is not in use currently. You can conduct name search here.
- Name Reservation: Once you have identified business entity name, and if the name is available then you can reserve the name pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.0402 for corporations and 2011 Wisconsin Code § 183.0104 for an LLC. A business name can be reserved for a period of 120 days with the State of Wisconsin, Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services.
- A foreign business entity will have to register their business name pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Code § 183.0104(3)(a) for an LLC and 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.0403 for a business corporation
Choose a Registered Agent
Whether you form a corporation or an LLC business entity, in order to transact business in the state of Wisconsin, you will have to maintain a registered agent pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Code § 183.0105 for an LLC and 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.0501 for Business Corporations.
We are one of the respected registered agents in Wisconsin and will be responsible towards initiating incorporation in Wisconsin through processing of your “Articles of Organization”, and “Articles of Incorporation” for domestic entities and “Certificate of Registration” and “Certificate of Authority” for foreign business entities.
Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority
You will be required to submit “Articles of Incorporation” pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.0202 if your business is a domestic corporation. You will require a “Certificate of Authority” pursuant to 2011 Wisconsin Code § 180.1503, if it is a foreign business entity. In order to streamline the process of incorporation in Wisconsin, we can file documents on your behalf through the online process or through an expedited process.
Date Stamped Copies
As a part of the process of company incorporation in Wisconsin, we will ensure, you receive date-stamped and filed copies that verifies the state has filed as well as formed your corporation.
Costs and Fees associated with Wisconsin Incorporation
What would it cost to set up company in Wisconsin? Check Fees here!