Articles Tagged with Business Law

pexels-pixabay-269077-300x200The number of new Tennessee businesses has grown year-over-year every quarter for ten (10) Years.[i] Tennessee remains an attractive location for business owners. I often consult with clients about moving their businesses from Florida, California, or other states to Tennessee. Unfortunately, this is not a simple process and business owners should carefully consider their options before making this important decision. Generally, the business owner moving a limited liability company to Tennessee has two (2) options.

  • Domesticate your business within the State of Tennessee. This process occurs when an out of state limited liability company registers as a ”foreign” business entity within the State of Tennessee. This can be a relatively simple process that only requires business owners to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from their current state and subsequently file a registration form in Tennessee. Oftentimes, business owners do not prefer this option because it means that the limited liability company remains a company of the former state. For example, a California Limited Liability Company would remain a California Limited Liability company, only it would then be properly registered to conduct business in Tennessee. However, registering as a foreign business entity within the State of Tennessee means the company can still be subjected to administrative fees associated with business entities, taxation,[ii] and potential litigation in its former state.
  • Register a new limited liability company in Tennessee. Business owners can easily incorporate a new Tennessee limited liability company and either keep their previous limited liability company active in their former state or choose to dissolve it.  Clients are often able to keep their same business name and dissolve their business operations in one state and resume their operations in Tennessee. Business owners tend to prefer this method because it allows them to formally become a Tennessee Limited liability company and not just an out of state company registered to conduct business in Tennessee. Once a party has decided to dissolve their former company and reincorporate a new LLC, they should also make sure that all previous assets, such as real estate, intellectual property, and bank accounts are properly updated to reflect the new business entity.
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