For many businesses, a registered agent is a requirement, not a luxury. Failing to retain a registered agent can result in an LLC, for instance, losing its legal status in the state in which the business operates. Unfortunately, many small business owners do not realize the full potential of having a third-party registered agent for their businesses.
What is a registered agent?
Registered agents, sometimes referred to a statutory agents or resident agents, act as the point man (or woman as the case may be) between your business and state and local government organizations. Registered agents must have a physical presence in the state where your business was formed and must be available during regular business hours in order to properly perform his or her duties to your company and the state.
Why do you need a registered agent?
Most states require it. Without it, some states invoke penalties and fines, in addition to revocation of an LLC’s license. However, there are other benefits and advantages to consider when procuring these services of a third-party registered agent for your small business.
1) It keeps some of the red tape out of your workplace. This means that customers, employees, and competitors aren’t privy to what’s taking place between you and the state. In other words, it adds another layer of privacy around your business.
2) It leaves one person dedicated to this particular job for your company and no other. There is no need to provide additional training or waste valuable time learning skills that aren’t natural to you as a business owner. They are experts in this field and know their way around, whereas you, or someone appointed by your company to fill this role, may miss something very important for the sake of your business.
3) You can move your business location without going through the laborious and costly process of changing your address with the state.
The real secret to success, though, is to find a real gem when you select your registered agent so that your business is well represented and covered with the state. When you do this, you can rest easy without the worry of whether your business is in hot water with the state over some minor paperwork-related technicality.
If you are like most business owners, these decisions can chew up tons of time. That’s why most of our clients simply call Delerme CPA in Atlanta at 404-445-8095.
Delerme CPA is an Atlanta CPA Firm servicing all types of businesses with convenient office locations in Midtown Atlanta and Perimeter Center.