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Business Filing & Legal Checklist

A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to securing your entity, protecting your brand, and ensuring full legal compliance. Check items off as you go – your progress saves automatically.

Your Filing Progress

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Pre-Filing Preparation

Phase 1 of 5
Define business purpose & mission statement
Foundation for all legal docs
Choose business structure (LLC, Corp, Sole Prop)
Impacts taxes & liability
Verify name availability in state registry
Prevent conflicts & rejections
Secure domain & social media handles
Claim digital presence early
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Entity Formation & Registration

Phase 2 of 5
File Articles of Organization/Incorporation
State filing fee required
Appoint registered agent for legal notices
Must have physical address in state
Obtain EIN from IRS
Required for banking & taxes
Draft Operating Agreement or Bylaws
Governs internal operations
Open dedicated business bank account
Maintain corporate veil
Apply for state/local business licenses
Varies by industry & location
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Trademark & IP Protection

Phase 3 of 5
Conduct comprehensive trademark search
USPTO + state + common law
File trademark application (word, logo, sound)
Protect brand identifiers
Register copyrights for original content
Website, manuals, creative assets
Draft IP assignment agreements
For founders, employees, contractors
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Domain & Digital Compliance

Phase 4 of 5
Register primary domain & defensive variations
.com, .co, .io + misspellings
Enable domain privacy & auto-renewal
Protect ownership info
Implement SSL certificate & DNS security
HTTPS & DMARC/SPF records
Publish Terms of Service & Privacy Policy
GDPR/CCPA compliant language
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Post-Filing Compliance & Ongoing

Phase 5 of 5
File initial/biennial state report
Avoid administrative dissolution
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Set up calendar for tax deadlines
Quarterly estimated taxes
Obtain business insurance coverage
General liability, E&O, D&O
Annual trademark maintenance filings
Declaration of use & renewal
Review & update operating agreements
Reflect ownership changes
Maintain corporate minutes & records
Board meetings & major decisions

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