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What Is Inc Authority?
Inc Authority is a business formation company that offers a number of services to help entrepreneurs start, grow and run their businesses. Such services include:
- Limited Liability Company (LLC) formation
- Business plan creation
- Credit and banking assistance
- Lending support
- Revocable Living Trust (RLT) creation
- Website and marketing help
- Federal trademark registration
Inc Authority credits its top-tier customer support team as the reason it’s different from other similar service providers. It also stands out because it offers one year of free registered agent services with any order, and it doesn’t charge for LLC formation services.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Inc Authority?
Just like with any service provider, there are some pros and cons to using Inc Authority for its business formation services.
Pros of Using Inc Authority
Inc Authority is one of the leading business formation service providers out there, so there are a number of advantages to working with this company.
Wide Range of Services
Inc Authority’s primary offering is its free business formation service, which already includes a number of add-ons:
- Business name availability check
- Employer identification number (EIN) registration
- One year of registered agent services
- Digital storage of formation documents
- Tax planning consultation
- Paperwork preparation and filing
- Credit analysis
Inc Authority also offers other services to help business owners after formation, including:
- Drafting a business plan
- Securing business funding
- Marketing the business
Competitive Business Formation Pricing
Another compelling reason to use Inc Authority for business formation is its competitive pricing. Business formation through Inc Authority is free, with customers only paying the mandatory state fees to the appropriate secretary of state’s office where their business will operate.
Expert Support
Using Inc Authority provides entrepreneurs with the peace of mind of knowing that their businesses remain in good standing. Inc Authority has a team of business startup specialists who can help customers manage their businesses and protect their assets.
Cons of Using Inc Authority
Though there are many pros to using Inc Authority, there are also some possible downsides to consider.
Lack of Add-On Pricing Transparency
Aside from the business formation service that is free, Inc Authority offers other business support services. However, pricing on these services is not readily available online. Customers who are interested in them must call to order.
No Turnaround Time Transparency
It’s hard to find a specific estimate for business formation turnaround time on the Inc Authority website. Though this will generally vary from state to state, other providers tend to offer some estimate on how long this will take.
No Mobile App
For ongoing maintenance and support, some customers might want to access their business formation documents or other information from a mobile device. However, Inc Authority does not have a mobile application for customers to use.
How Much Does an Inc Authority LLC Cost?
Using Inc Authority’s LLC filing service is 100% free — aside from any state filing fees. There are premium services you can purchase for additional support as you ramp up and grow your business, but you must order these over the phone at 877-684-2836.
Try not to make a rush decision when you’re on the phone with Inc Authority. Request a breakdown of the available packages and prices, and call back once you have given yourself time to think through your decision.
Inc Authority is on the more affordable end compared to other LLC formation services. LegalZoom also has a free LLC incorporation service with its Basic package, as does ZenBusiness with its Starter package. However, keep in mind that the features in each of these free LLC formation packages vary. For instance, only Inc Authority includes one year of free registered agent services.
Can You Get a Free LLC From Inc Authority?
Inc Authority offers free LLC formation services in the sense that you do not pay the company any servicing fees to prepare and form your LLC for you. However, you still have to pay the state filing fees to the secretary of state’s office where you are forming your business entity. So, there is still some cost to starting your LLC with Inc Authority.
What Are the Best Inc Authority Features?
LLC formation may be Inc Authority’s main service offering, but there are also a variety of other services that new business owners can take advantage of. Inc Authority aims to be a one-stop shop for everything startups need to get set up correctly.
LLC Formation
LLC formation is a free service with Inc Authority. Inc Authority will prepare and file all the necessary paperwork with the proper secretary of state’s office, with express processing available at no extra charge. LLC formation also includes:
- Business name availability check
- Digital document storage
- Tax planning consultation
- IRS Form 2553 preparation and filing
- Tax ID number registration
- Business credit and funding analysis
Federal Trademark Registration
Inc Authority can help businesses register with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for exclusive use in the country. You can secure trademark protection for a brand logo, slogan or name to help your customers identify your business more easily. Inc Authority will complete the trademark application for you and provide you with status updates throughout the process.
Business and Personal Tax Preparation
Inc Authority has tax specialists and certified public accountants (CPAs) to help its customers prepare and file their business and personal income taxes with federal and state governments. Business tax preparation services include the filing of essential forms, such as Schedule C, 1065, 1120 and 1120-S, and, if needed, equivalent state and local forms. Personal filing includes the compilation of Form 1040 and any equivalent state and local forms.
Business Credit
Inc Authority states that customers can achieve an A+ credit rating and get access to loans, credit lines and working capital within 90 days of purchasing its business credit services. The BizCredit Express program helps new business owners build up their credit quickly so that they can use it to secure the funds they need to operate and grow their businesses.
Website and Marketing
Customers meet with a designer for a custom website design under Inc Authority’s website and marketing package. This package also includes access to a marketing specialist who helps craft compelling, professional web content to attract and inform potential customers.
Registered Agent
Customers who create an LLC through Inc Authority get a free year of registered agent services. A registered agent is someone who receives official government notifications on a business’ behalf, which ensures that the business stays on top of its legal duties.
What Is the Inc Authority LLC Turnaround Time?
Inc Authority does not publicly share the expected turnaround time for its LLC formation services. However, express processing comes at no additional cost, unlike many other business formation companies. Keep in mind that the turnaround time for starting an LLC varies from state to state, no matter which company you are using to file.
Does Inc Authority Have Good Reviews?
Inc Authority has received mostly positive reviews from customers on Trustpilot, with an average rating of 4.8/5 stars from over 28,000 reviews. Many of the reviews highlight the company’s friendly and thoughtful customer support team, pointing out the frequent updates they received throughout the formation process.
There are a few negative comments from customers, though. Some customers were left disappointed with the company’s consulting services, which they found to be an upsell. Others were frustrated with slow business formation turnaround times.
Is Inc Authority Customer Service Good?
Inc Authority offers around-the-clock support. The company takes pride in providing top-tier customer service, which it believes sets it apart from other business formation companies.
Live phone support is available from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PST Monday through Friday at 877-462-6366 or 775-333-5902. Email support is available through info@incauthority.com, which has a response time of one or two business days. There is also a live chat on the Inc Authority website to get in touch with customer support at any time.
Inc Authority Alternatives
To help you determine whether Inc Authority is right for forming your business, let’s see how it stacks up against its competitors. Below, we will compare it to the other top providers in the industry — LegalZoom and ZenBusiness.
Inc Authority vs. LegalZoom
Inc Authority and LegalZoom are both long-standing and well-reputed providers of LLC formation services. Both have options for you to file an LLC for free; however, the free Basic plan from LegalZoom doesn’t include as many features as the free filing through Inc Authority. For instance, Inc Authority offers one free year of registered agent services, while LegalZoom customers pay $249 per year for the same service.
Like Inc Authority, LegalZoom has thousands of positive customer reviews, earning an Excellent rating on Trustpilot. Therefore, we recommend LegalZoom for new business owners who anticipate needing a good amount of legal support and advice going forward. However, the ease of use, value and affordability of Inc Authority make it a better option for new business owners who need basic assistance forming their LLCs.
Inc Authority vs. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness and Inc Authority are both popular providers of LLC formation services. While ZenBusiness is a newer provider, Inc Authority has been providing these services for more than three decades. That being said, ZenBusiness has built a positive reputation in a short amount of time, earning an Excellent rating on Trustpilot.
ZenBusiness offers free LLC formation with its Starter plan. However, this free plan is lacking some of the features that Inc Authority offers with its LLC formation, including a tax ID number, express filing and a registered agent. While you can get these services through ZenBusiness, they come at an additional cost.
Even the Pro plan from ZenBusiness, which costs $199 per year plus state filing fees, doesn’t include registered agent services, which cost an additional $199 per year. For this reason, Inc Authority is likely the better choice if you’re on a budget.
The Bottom Line
Inc Authority provides LLC formation services at an affordable rate. Its other business support services can help customers grow and run their business after officially forming it.
Considering the good reputation, positive reviews and low cost of Inc Authority, this company could be worth a try when you’re ready to form your LLC. However, it’s important to do your own research beforehand to select the provider that is right for you.
Methodology
Our team uses an unbiased review method for all of the LLC formation services we rate. Our method includes spending significant time using as many of the tools as we can from each of the LLC services and documenting our experience. We give ratings from 0.0 to 1.0, with 1.0 being the best, for experiences in the following areas:
- Features: We look at what essential features the company offers for starting an LLC. We consider essential features to be a registered agent service, operating agreement template, EIN application, license help, expert advice, tax advisory services, compliance help and guarantee of acceptance.
- Value for money: Did we feel like we were getting a deal, getting short-changed or getting what we paid for? We rated the value of every formation company’s basic, middle and premium formation packages.
- Customer service: Was our customer service experience good, fair or poor? We reviewed each company’s customer service offerings over email, phone and chat, depending on timeliness and accuracy of responses.
- Ease of use: We looked at whether we could navigate the website successfully and where the roadblocks, if any, came up. Did we have trouble adding features or signing into our account? We compared our experiences before and after account setup.
Customer satisfaction: We looked at customer ratings across review sites and rated our own satisfaction with the process.
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