Business insurance
Which insurance a small business actually needs, what clients and landlords will require, and what it costs.
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Protect your business and stay compliant
The insurance, contracts, filings and security that keep a business in good standing and out of trouble.
Topics
Contracts and legal
Contracts, terms of service and the legal services that write them, and when a template will do.
2 articles
Compliance and filings
The filings and renewals that keep a company in good standing, country by country, including the deadlines that carry penalties.
7 articles
Security and passwords
Password managers, VPNs, two-factor authentication, and the security basics customers and auditors expect.
2 articles
Latest articles
Guide · Compliance and filings
Form 5472 and the other US filings for a foreign-owned company
A single-member LLC owned by a non-US person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, by fax or mail, due April 15 for a calendar year. Putting money in or taking it out counts as a reportable transaction, so almost every such LLC has to file. Missing it costs $25,000.
· 7 min read
Guide · Collaboration and productivity
The startup tech stack: the dozen tools a new business runs on
Start with a domain you control, email on that domain, a simple website, a business bank account, accounting software, a way to take payments, a CRM, shared docs, a password manager and light automation. Most have free plans that last a two-person company months. A five-person stack runs about $180 a month at list prices.
· 7 min read
Comparison · Security and passwords
The best password manager for a small team: 1Password vs NordPass vs Bitwarden
A team of eight pays $24.95 a month on 1Password's Teams Starter Pack, $32 on Bitwarden Teams and $17.90 on NordPass Teams with a two-year plan. NordPass Teams includes Google Workspace sign-in, Bitwarden is open source, and 1Password's flat pack is simplest until ten people. Here's which suits which team.
· 7 min read
Guide · Company formation
The cheapest way to form an LLC: what you must pay and what you can skip
The cheapest way to form an LLC is to file it yourself on your state's website and pay only the state fee, from $35 in Montana to $300 in Texas. Everything else can be free. Here's how, and what to watch for.
· 7 min read
Guide · Company formation
How to start an LLC: every step, what it costs and how long it takes
Forming an LLC takes a few hundred dollars in state fees and one to two weeks. Here is every step in order, what each one costs, and which paid extras you don't need.
· 8 min read
Guide · Compliance and filings
LLC annual reports and fees: what your state charges every year, and what happens if you miss it
Most states require an annual or biennial report to keep an LLC active, from $7 in Pennsylvania to $138.75 in Florida, and some add a yearly tax, like California's $800. Miss it and the state can dissolve your LLC. Here's what's due and when.
· 7 min read