ALLREI.com Real Estate Investing Articles

One of the simplest business structures for your real estate investing activities is the LLC, or Limited Liability Company. Real estate investors have discovered that this is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways of limiting risk and personal financial liability.

An LLC gives you the flexibility and ease of operation of being an individual, but still grants you many of the legal protections of a corporation. As a result, many real estate investors choose to take title to property in the name of an LLC.

Setting up an LLC is a relatively pain-free operation. I’ve provided handy links to each of the Secretary of State offices so that you can visit their website for more details about establishing an LLC of your own.

The process is simple. Most states now permit online applications, but if you’re more comfortable you also have the option of printing out the forms, filling them out, and mailing them to the appropriate office.

While some real estate investors choose to seek professional assistance in filing the required paperwork, the process is simple enough that even a beginning investor can easily complete it.

Each state has slightly different requirements, but they are basically the same regardless of where you live. Some of the questions on the form include the name and tax identification number for the LLC, as well as the legal address, etc.

You simply fill the form out, include the appropriate filing fee (usually about $350) and mail it to the Secretary of State in the state in which you are making application.

The filing process is simple, and in most cases fairly straightforward. It makes perfect sense to protect yourself – and your assets – by taking these simple steps.

Every state has a variety of resources available for real estate investors on their website. If you don’t yet have a website of your own, you should consider entering the 21^st century. A website can help you to market your business and build a substantial real estate investing portfolio. An LLC can help you keep it.

To get a website, go to: http://www.InvestorSecretWeapon.com

 

State Listings – Secretaries of State*

For LLC Application and Filing Information

Alabama

Alaska http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/

Arizona http://www.azsos.gov/

Arkansas http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us/

California http://www.sos.ca.gov/

Colorado http://www.sos.state.co.us/

Connecticut http://www.sots.ct.gov/

Delaware http://sos.delaware.gov/default.shtml

Florida http://www.dos.state.fl.us/

Georgia http://sos.georgia.gov/

Hawaii http://hawaii.gov/ltgov/

Idaho http://www.idsos.state.id.us/

Illinois http://www.sos.state.il.us/

Indiana http://www.in.gov/sos/

Iowa http://www.sos.state.ia.us/

Kansas

Kentucky http://www.sos.ky.gov/

Louisiana http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/

Maine http://www.state.me.us/sos/

Maryland http://www.sos.state.md.us/

Massachusetts http://www.sec.state.ma.us/

Michigan http://www.michigan.gov/sos

Minnesota http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp

Mississippi http://www.sos.state.ms.us/

Missouri http://www.sos.mo.gov/

Montana http://sos.state.mt.us/css/index.asp

Nebraska http://www.sos.state.ne.us/dyindex.html

Nevada http://sos.state.nv.us/

New Hampshire http://www.sos.nh.gov/index.html

New Jersey http://www.state.nj.us/state/

New Mexico http://www.sos.state.nm.us/

New York http://www.dos.state.ny.us/

North Carolina http://www.secstate.state.nc.us/

North Dakota http://www.nd.gov/sos/

Ohio http://www.sos.state.oh.us/

Oklahoma http://www.sos.state.ok.us/

Oregon http://www.sos.state.or.us/

Pennsylvania http://www.dos.state.pa.us/dos/site/default.asp

Rhode Island

South Carolina http://www.scsos.com/

South Dakota http://www.sdsos.gov/

Tennessee http://www.state.tn.us/sos/

Texas http://www.sos.state.tx.us/

Utah http://www.utah.gov/ltgovernor/

Vermont http://www.sec.state.vt.us/

Virginia http://www.soc.state.va.us/

Washington http://www.secstate.wa.gov/

Washington, DC http://os.dc.gov/os/site/default.asp

West Virginia http://www.wvsos.com/

Wisconsin http://www.sos.state.wi.us/

Wyoming http://soswy.state.wy.us/

· Please Note – Some states do not have a Secretary of State. In these cases, duties of the Secretary of State are carried out by the Lt. Governor. This includes application and/or filing of LLCs