Incorporation in Wisconsin

Find the right Business Incorporation attorney in Appleton, WI

By Wisconsin law, a business that has incorporated is identified thereafter as its own legal entity. This means that the business can buy or sell property, offer and accept contracts and exercise legal rights in its own name. The office of the Secretary of State is the agency that receives applications for incorporation in Wisconsin, and they must be completed in conformity with certain guidelines.

Benefits of Incorporation in Wisconsin

Benefits of incorporation are many. The primary benefit is that the liabilities of the business can only be satisfied by the assets specifically invested into the company by the owners. If the business had remained a personal asset of the owners, they could run the risk of losing their personal property to pay for the company's financial liabilities in case of default. A corporation might also find it easier to finance itself through loans, allowing creditors in the Appleton area to evaluate their investment by assessing the corporation rather than the individual credit-worthiness of its owners. Finally, a corporations charter requires that ownership be divided into stakes or "shares" of stock, all of equal size. This makes the process of transferring control much more practical.

Costs of Incorporation

There are costs associated with incorporation, both short and long term. First, businesses in Wisconsin might be charged a fee to incorporate. Also, a corporation is taxed as its own entity. The individual incomes of owners who are paid disbursements from the corporation's earnings are still taxed as well. This is called double taxation, but it may be avoided with proper planning and assistance from a local Appleton lawyer.

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Life in Appleton

Appleton is located in both Calumet and Winnebago Counties of Wisconsin. Surrounding waters include the Fox River and Green Bay. Per the 2010 census, it has a population of 78.086 people.

Some popular attractions include the Appleton Art Center, the Gardens of the Fox Cities, Goodland Field, The History Museum at the Castle, John Hart Whorton House, Temple Zion, Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium and the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center.

Top employers include the school district, Miller Electric, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Outagamie County, West Business Services, Valley Packaging Industries and Voith.

Although the legal industry is not included in the top employers list, Appleton is home to many small law offices that provide legal services in practically all areas of practice. Thus, residents do not have to travel far to have their legal needs tended to.

Famous residents include Myrt Basing, Rocky Bleier, Brian Butch, Willem Dafoe, J.P. Hayes, Erik Jensen, Ron Kostelnik, and Terry Zwigoff.

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