How to Determine a Company’s Incorporation Date

Do you want to know how to find a company’s incorporation date? The state where the corporation was created keeps track of this information.

Do you want to know how to find a company’s incorporation date? The state where the corporation was created keeps track of this information. You may do a search on the state’s website, an online database, or even the company’s website.

The Procedure for Incorporation

The founders of a company must submit articles of incorporation with the secretary of state in order to form a corporation. This document contains:

The corporation’s name

The company’s address

Officer monikers

The goal of business

Data on inventory

Typically, the filing date for the articles of incorporation is considered the incorporation date of the business. However, bear in mind that processing time varies per state, ranging from one to two business days to a week or more.

When you submit your articles, you may also seek a later effective date. For example, if you wish to incorporate on January 1, you need submit your papers in mid-December.

Resources for Corporate Information

The date on which the articles are filed is referred to as the date of incorporation. The state then makes this information accessible to the public. If you know where the firm started, start with the state’s division of companies. Depending on the region, you may get highly detailed information or very little information about a firm registered there.

Delaware is a popular place to incorporate due to its favourable tax and legal status for enterprises. The entity name search for Delaware is maintained by the Division of Corporations. Simply enter the name of the Delaware corporation you’re looking for.

For publicly listed corporations in the United States, visit the Securities and Exchange Commission website for information such as the company’s name, postal address, fiscal years, locations, and annual and quarterly reports.

If the company in issue is listed on public stock markets, its website must have an Investor Relations section containing key public information, such as the date of incorporation.

Legal databases are another valuable source of corporate information, however they normally have a price.

Accessing these databases may provide information such as a company’s registration number, the length of time it has been in operation, the location of its registered office, and if the business name has ever changed. This information may be required if you are going into a contract with a firm or want to serve process on the company. In many circumstances, financial information such as insolvency letters and yearly reports are also available.

The significance of the incorporation date

The date a corporation was formed has an influence on the value of the company and how it is taxed. The start date of a company is when it first starts advertising and is ready to serve clients, which may vary from the date of incorporation. The start date is the year in which the company gets taxed for the first time. The precise date is critical in determining whether the business’s launch expenditures are deductible.

According to the IRS, you may deduct the expenditures of starting or researching a new company. However, the agency’s criteria on the commencement date of a firm are not entirely clear. The IRS defines the commencement of business as the date of incorporation, not the date on which organisational operations commenced. However, it also mentions that corporate activity such as asset purchases might be interpreted as an indication that a company has begun.

Consider if the firm in issue is a “going concern,” which means it has customers, participates in marketing and advertising, and generates revenue. A running company does not necessarily make a profit, but it operates with the intention of doing so. Some regard the beginning of a company to be the time at which it begins to grow: maintaining records, seeking business, and functioning as a separate entity.

If you are considering about beginning a company, consult with a tax specialist regarding which year you should use as your start date if your business activities spanned more than one year. This is less of an issue if all start-up activities occurred in the same calendar year.