The Basic Steps for Forming a Texas Corporation

Although running a business can be very challenging, it’s often invigorating to reach a point when you may need to incorporate your company. This process is often begun by discussing what can be gained or loss by making this move with your business partners. You should also consider speaking with your Houston business lawyer so you’ll fully understand all the legal implications of making this decision.
The following material reviews the main reasons that many companies choose to incorporate their businesses. It then notes the most common steps that must be taken prior to filing a certificate of incorporation with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office.
Potential advantages that are often acquired by incorporating a business

• Improved legal liability status. Creating a corporation can provide each individual business partner with added protection against personal liability for the actions of all other executives or employees. It can also offer greater protection for business assets;
• Critical, everyday activities can be simplified. Upon incorporating, it can become easier to add new owners and investors while still maintaining the same level of control over your company;
• The company can more easily transact business all around the world.It’s often easier to conduct business in a corporate form in many other countries;
• It can help you one day take your company public. While your corporate executives and employees may always want to conduct business privately, a time may come when it may be to your financial advantage to take the company public and sell stock.

Those are just a few of the main reasons why many business executives decide to incorporate their current companies or partnerships.
Common steps you must take when you’re ready to incorporate your business

1. Name the corporation. Try to choose a name that suits your business and helps raise your profile. You and your lawyer will need to conduct a formal search to see if any of the names you’d like to choose are currently available in Texas;
2. Select a registered agent and office. Be prepared to designate a trustworthy party to serve as your registered agent and name the city where that person will keep his or her office;
3. Choose which parties will be named as the corporation’s organizers or incorporators. The names and addresses of each of these individuals must be listed within the certificate of formation;
4. Designate your corporate directors. After the certificate of formation has been filed, the directors take over running your business. These highly knowledgeable executives must also have strong management and interpersonal skills that will help them successfully negotiate all future decisions and transactions;
5. Draft a brief statement, indicating the corporation’s official business purpose. While this may sound rather straightforward, it’s often wise to run this description by your lawyer to be sure you’ve fully covered all key aspects of your intended business transactions;
6. Consider obtaining professional help with the completion of your official certificate of incorporation. Like other states, Texas has specific expectations for the precise information that must be included. Since these requirements can change periodically, it’s often wise to ask your lawyer to review the contents of your certificate of incorporation;
7. Pay the required fees. These should normally be posted on the Texas Secretary of State’s online website. If you prefer, your lawyer can submit your fees and certificate of incorporation for you.

While this list of common steps isn’t intended to be fully comprehensive, it should clearly indicate the basic steps that you and your business partners should take if you decide that it’s time to incorporate your business.
Please feel free to contact the lawyers at Murray Lobb so we can answer any specific questions you may have about this process. We’ve helped many clients incorporate their businesses over the years – and we’re ready to put that experience to work for you.

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