Ready to get paid on day one
Your EIN and your Cedar account come with the company, so you can take payments as soon as you're formed. Keep your money in Cedar Banking and we credit your formation fees back.
Form your company the right way.Form your nonprofit the right way.
Start your company in a few clicks and start accepting payments immediately after incorporating.Incorporate in any state, apply for 501(c)(3) status and register to fundraise. We file the paperwork, then your Cedar account is ready to take donations.
Fern & Field Coffee is formed as a Texas LLC. The founders type the name, which is available, choose LLC and pick Texas. Cedar files the certificate of formation with the State of Texas, which come back filed, gets the company its EIN from the IRS, and drafts an operating agreement that Dana Reyes and Omar Haddad sign. Their Cedar account fills itself in from the formation, goes live, and the first $24.00 card payment comes in.
Redbrook Food Bank is formed as an Ohio nonprofit. The founders type the name, which is available, choose Nonprofit and pick Ohio. Cedar files the articles of incorporation, with a charitable purpose under section 501(c)(3), with the State of Ohio, which come back filed, gets the organization its EIN from the IRS, and prepares Form 1023-EZ, which the president, Grace Ellison, signs and Cedar submits. Their Cedar account fills itself in from the formation, goes live, and the first $50.00 monthly donation comes in.
How it works.
Answer a few questions, and we take it from there.
- Submitted
Tell us detailsTell us details
You or your agent answer a few questions about your company and its owners and pick a structure and a state. Then you sign.
You or your agent answer a few questions about your mission and your board and pick a state. Then you sign.
- Filed
IncorporateIncorporate
We file with the state, get your EIN, and draft your operating agreement or bylaws.
We file your articles with the state, get your EIN, and draft your bylaws and conflict-of-interest policy.
- Live
Get paidTake donations
Your Cedar account is set up from your formation. Take payments and keep your money in Cedar Banking.
We prepare your 501(c)(3) application and register you to fundraise, and your Cedar account is ready for donations.
- In good standing
Stay compliantStay compliant
We keep you in good standing and your verification current, so payments keep working.
We keep you in good standing, your charity registrations renewed and your verification current.
Why form your companynonprofit with Cedar.
Founder equity done right
Issue founder stock and file your 83(b) elections within the 30-day window, mailed and tracked, so nobody gets a surprise tax bill when their shares vest.
A person answers
Real people help you choose a structure and check your answers before anything is filed. We're not lawyers, so we'll tell you when you need one.
Compliance that keeps you getting paid
If you choose, we keep your company in good standing and your business verification up to date. Periodic KYC checks run automatically from the records we already hold, so your payments keep working.
Ready for donations on day one
Your EIN and your Cedar account come with the organization, so you can take donations as soon as you're formed. Keep your money in Cedar Banking and we credit your formation fees back.
Through to 501(c)(3)
We prepare your Form 1023-EZ or full Form 1023 for 501(c)(3) status, then register you to fundraise in each state that requires it.
A person answers
Real people help you through incorporation and your 501(c)(3) application, and check your answers before anything is filed. We're not lawyers, so we'll tell you when you need one.
Compliance that keeps donations coming
If you choose, we keep your organization in good standing, your charity registrations current and your verification up to date. Periodic KYC checks run automatically from the records we already hold, so donations keep coming in.
A limited liability company. Simple to run, with profits that pass through to the owners.
Included
- Name availability check
- Articles of organization, filed with your state
- EIN from the IRS
- Operating agreement
- Registered agent for the first year
Add when you need it
- S Corp election, Form 2553
- Registered agent after the first year
Nonprofit
A nonprofit corporation, set up to apply for 501(c)(3) status.
Included
- Name availability check
- Articles of incorporation with the purpose and dissolution clauses the IRS looks for, filed with your state
- EIN from the IRS
- Bylaws
- Conflict-of-interest policy
- Registered agent for the first year
Add when you need it
- 501(c)(3) application, Form 1023-EZ
- 501(c)(3) application, full Form 1023
- State charity registration, in each state where you fundraise
- Registered agent after the first year
What's in the package.
Everything you need to form, in one package. Add the rest when you need it.
- One package, no tiers
- Everything you need to start banking and accepting payments.
- Government fees at cost
- State and IRS filing fees are passed through at exactly what they charge.
- Not a law firm
- Cedar prepares and files your documents. We're not a law firm and don't give legal advice.
Pricing.
One price to form, plus the state's own fee. Add the rest when you need it.
Formation
$299 plus the state fee, or $0 plus the state fee once it's credited back for a $5,000 deposit in Cedar Banking.
An LLC, S Corp or C Corp in any state, with everything in the package.
Book a callAdd when you need it
- Founder stock and 83(b) electionsFor a C Corp or S Corp$99
- S Corp electionIRS Form 2553$49
- Registered agent after the first yearCancel any time$10 / monthor $99 / year
Formation fees credited back. Deposit $5,000 into Cedar Banking and we credit your Cedar formation fees, up to $500, as soon as the deposit lands. State and IRS fees and yearly renewals aren't included.
Formation
$299 plus the state fee, or $0 plus the state fee once it's credited back for a $4,000 deposit in Cedar Banking.
A nonprofit corporation in any state, with everything in the package.
Book a callAdd when you need it
- 501(c)(3) application, Form 1023-EZPlus the IRS fee of $275$499
- 501(c)(3) application, full Form 1023Plus the IRS fee of $600$1,499
- State charity registrationPlus the state's fee. Renews at $149 a year$199 / state
- Registered agent after the first yearCancel any time$10 / monthor $99 / year
Formation fees credited back. Deposit $4,000 into Cedar Banking and we credit your Cedar formation fees, up to $800, as soon as the deposit lands. State and IRS fees and yearly renewals aren't included.
It's all part of the bigger build.
Start with Company setup, then add the blocks around it as you grow. Every block reads from and writes to one system of record, so money in, money out and your books always agree.
Banking
An interest-bearing account for your new company at an FDIC-insured partner bank.
Compliance
1099s for the people you pay, 990s for nonprofits, and bank account validation.
Payments
Get paid through common payment methods, from the day your account goes live.
Company management
Annual reports and corporate records, kept current once you've formed.
Questions about Company setup.
Anything else? Book a call with us.
Is Cedar a law firm?
No. Cedar prepares and files your formation documents, but we're not a law firm and don't give legal or tax advice. If your situation calls for it, talk to a lawyer or an accountant.
Which states can I form in?
Any US state. We file your documents with the state you choose.
What is a registered agent?
A person or company with an address in your state who accepts legal and tax mail for your business. Every state requires one. Your first year is included, and you can keep us as your agent after that.
Should I form an LLC or a C Corp?
An LLC is simpler to run, and its profits pass through to the owners' tax returns. A C Corp is the usual choice if you plan to raise money from venture investors. We lay out the differences as you go, but the choice is yours, so check with an accountant or a lawyer if you're unsure.
What is an 83(b) election?
A letter to the IRS that lets founders pay tax on their stock when it's issued, at what it's worth then, instead of as it vests. It has to reach the IRS within 30 days of the stock grant. Add it to your formation and we prepare it and mail it for you.
When does an S Corp election make sense?
An S Corp election changes how an LLC or a corporation is taxed, not what it is. Owners who pay themselves a salary can save on self-employment tax once profits are high enough. It's filed with the IRS on Form 2553, and an accountant can tell you whether it's right for you.
Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ?
The 1023-EZ is a shorter application for smaller organizations: those expecting $50,000 or less in gross receipts a year and holding $250,000 or less in assets. Everyone else files the full Form 1023. We help you check which one you can use.
Do I need to register to fundraise?
In most states, yes. Around 40 states ask charities to register before asking their residents for donations, and most registrations renew every year. Add state charity registration and we file it in each state where you fundraise.
Can we take donations before 501(c)(3) approval?
Yes. If you apply within 27 months of forming, the IRS generally dates your exemption back to the day you formed, so donations made while you wait count once you're approved. You can take donations through Cedar as soon as your account is live.
Start building.
Book a call and we'll walk you through forming your company or nonprofit.
Prefer email? Write to hello@usecedar.co.