Should you form your corporation in Wyoming? We've collected the relevant information that will help you make this decision.
Pros
Tax rate of $.0002 per dollar of assets
Low cost of living
Low cost of doing business
Cons
Small workforce due to small population
Cost of doing business
$100 filing fee / $50 annual report
Privacy
No disclosure of owners
Forming your corporation in Wyoming
The name
In order to communicate to the public that your new business is incorporated, its official name will need to end with one of the following signifiers (or a relevant abbreviation): “incorporated”, “Company”, or “corporation.” In addition, it is required that the name of your business is not intentionally misleading to consumers, for any reason. Your company’s new name must also be completely unique, and not deceptively similar to any other organizations name or trademarks. There are also restrictions on the use of certain terms common to the education, financial, and insurance industries. Do a FREE name search now.
Board of directors requirements
You will need to form an official board of directors when incorporating in Wyoming. Here are the states explicit regulations regarding these directors:
Required number of directors
Wyoming corporations must have at least one director listed in their incorporation documents.
Age restrictions
Directors of corporations located in Wyoming can be of any age.
Residence restrictions
There are no residence restrictions imposed on the directors of C corporations in Wyoming. However, S corporations are only allowed to have directors located in the United States.
What information needs to be included in the Articles of Incorporation?
Wyoming does not require the names or addresses of directors to be disclosed in incorporation documents.
Requirements for the Articles of Incorporation
The Articles of Incorporation is a document that must be filed during the incorporation process in every state. Here is the information that must be included in this document when filing in Wyoming:
Stock information
Wyoming requires the number of initial shares outstanding, and their par value, to be disclosed during the incorporation process. The number of outstanding shares does not affect initial state filing fees.
Officer information
The state of Wyoming does not require officer information to be disclosed during the filing process.
Registered agent information
All Wyoming corporations must have a registered agent on file, and submit their name and address (which cannot be a PO box). This agent will be required to be accessible during standard business hours, and act as the state’s point of contact with the company. Learn more about registered agents.
If your business is a professional practice
Professional service corporations are permitted to form under the professional corporation (PC) structure.
Corporate record keeping requirements
Corporations are required to keep formal documentation regarding several of their operations. These are the explicit record keeping formalities required by Wyoming:
A copy of the Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, and their amendments
A set of contact information for the individual that communicates with the company’s registered agent, which must be filed with the state.
Records that detail the owners and class of all outstanding stock shares
The business address and names of all officers and directors, this information must be kept on record directly with the state
Formal, in-depth documentation of all stock related resolutions
Meeting minutes for all shareholder and director meetings.
A copy of all written communications with shareholders within the previous three years
A copy of the corporation’s most recent annual report
Formal documentation of all director and shareholder decisions, regardless of if they were made during a meeting or not.
Wyoming corporate taxation and fee requirements
There are several tax and fee requirements that must be addressed by corporations in Wyoming. They are as follows:
Taxation
All states have complex taxation requirements. For more information regarding taxes in Wyoming, it is advised that you visit the state’s official business related website.
Annual report requirements
Corporations in Wyoming are required to file an annual report, which must be filed by the beginning of the company’s anniversary month each year. The fee associated with this filing varies depending on company size but carries a $50 minimum. Learn more about annual reports.
Tax identification numbers
Wyoming requires an EIN (employee identification number) for all corporations that will have employees, and most banks will require one to open accounts. Wyoming does not require corporations to obtain state tax ID numbers. Learn more about EINs.
Business license requirements
The business licenses and permits required in Wyoming vary wildly depending on the county or municipality in which your new corporation is located. If you would like to see more in-depth information on licenses and permits, please feel free to visit the content in our learning library that covers business licenses and permits.
S corporation election
Wyoming does not require a state-level S corp election, as it has no state income tax.
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