Virtual Mailbox vs. Lawyer for Incorporating

[svenv]

Looks like all incorporation services (like Clerky or Northwest) put your address on the certificate of incorporation in Delaware. So really, there are only two choices for incorporating:

1. Get a virtual mailbox, then file the certificate of incorporation through a cheap service.

2. Get a lawyer to put their address as incorporator.

Virtual mailbox is a continual cost, lawyer is one-time. Is that the major distinction? If I plan to be in business three years, then the lawyer already pays off, no?

[hungryhobbit]

I'd be more curious as to whether you will need a lawyer for anything else in your business in the future?

If you plan to make a one-man SASS product you might be able to get by without one, and maybe the mailbox makes sense. But if you plan to build a real company (with employees, terms of service, contracts, legal counsel to avoid getting sued, etc.) you're going to need a healthy relationship with a lawyer anyway, so why not start one now?

[svenv]

I am sure I will. But Incorporating seems so easy. There is a five line / half-page certificate of incorporation template provided by Delaware. Easy to do myself if I just get the address worked out.

[pixel_popping]

If it's a SaaS, you better incorporate in HK and you'll have zero taxes if you blacklist local (HK) market. It is also fully stripe compatible. It would also shield you from problems.

[svenv]

How is the investing scene?

[pixel_popping]

The moment investors come in, they'll ask you to re-incorporate, easy, Delaware companies are made rapidly anyway. You can also choose Singapore but it has more upfront cost and management than HK.

For investors it's better to keep the structure "easy" anyway as they'll ask all sort of things regarding the company structure, better to straight re-incorporate.

If you don't plan to have investors, then having a company in the US doesn't make much sense for liability & taxes, seeing the world is open and it's all remote anyway.