Starting your business in Pennsylvania is not as easy as it may seem on paper. In reality, there’s a lot of paperwork and it can get to be a little too much for the budding entrepreneur. Most people end up delegating this task to LLC formation websites that specialize in dealing with such paperwork on the behalf of businessowners and we will cover one such third party today in this LegalZoom LLC formation service review:
Why use LegalZoom registered agent services in Pennsylvania?
On opening its doors in 1999, this company slowly grew its brand to what it is now as the most recognizable brand by handling business formation as well as legal issues for entrepreneurs in the country. Over the decades, it has amassed millions of customers who have left sterling customer feedback on third party sites, detailing its pros, cons, pricing and features. As a service operating in one of the most competitive sectors of the industry, it has simplified business formation processes, making it a force to reckon amidst the growing competition.
LegalZoom LLC Package Prices
With three levels available, you can choose what services you need and pay for a package that meets those particular needs. Let’s break down what each LegalZoom LLC formation service option entails:
Economy
For this LegalZoom LLC package, you need to fork out $79, exclusive of the State of Pennsylvania fees to get:
- A name check to ensure that nobody else has used or reserved your name of choice. Otherwise, the state will reject your application and force you to start the form an LLC online process again.
- Document prepping as well as filing once you provide the support staff with the required details. Once they have looked through the Certificate of Organization and double-checked the details with you, they proceed to submit the papers and revert to you when the application is complete.
- Support at every stage of the process by reaching their call center from morning till ten at night on weekdays and seven at night on weekends. It becomes easier to solve problems as they arise.
- A resolution to open a bank account, showing who in your organization will run a bank account for the LLC and has the right to operate on behalf of the others. It makes it easier to open and run an account and get your finance affairs in order.
Standard
The LegalZoom LLC cost Pennsylvania for this tier is $329 exclusive of the state fees, enabling you to get what’s in the first tier as well as:
- An organizer box and personalized packet tailored to your company’s name
- Certificates of membership complete with a decorative seal for up to 20 of your company’s members
- Priority processing over orders in the first tier
Express Gold
Once you pay $349 which is exclusive of the state fees, you get what’s in the first two categories plus:
- The highest priority processing which cuts down your processing time by weeks, making it ideal for people in a hurry to start their LLCs in Pennsylvania.
- Fast shipping to help you get your documents delivered as soon as they are ready.
In all these cases, the state fees will amount to $160. For more on the pricing plans, please check out this package description.
Pros & Cons of LegalZoom
Pros
Let’s look at why entrepreneurs have been leaning towards this giant in the last two decades:
- Name Search: Even if you decide not to use their services, you can still go through their database and filter based on your name. Not only does it save you money but it also saves you time. Most other companies require you to sign up and pay for a package before running such a check.
- Exemplary Services: This company aims to lead in the market and offers services that point to the same. Compared to many of its competitors, you will get your money’s worth if you choose to use this route. Not only can you start your business, but you can also get legal help and access to templates to help you when drawing up contracts.
- Satisfaction Guarantee: Have you ever paid for a service, tried it and wished you could get your money back? With this company, you can! During the 60 days after your purchase, you will enjoy a window during which you can lodge a refund claim. You can get your money back and look for a better alternative for your company’s needs.
- Experience: One main reason why people decide to use formation services is that entrepreneurs don’t know much about the formation formalities. It makes more sense to delegate such activities to professionals who know what the state requires of all businesses.
- Availability: In the first few months, you will need a lot of help navigating not only the company’s site and your documents but also business as a whole. The last thing you need is to go through an email chain each time a problem arises. This company runs its customer services up to ten at night during weekdays and seven at night on weekends. Most of its competitors cannot maintain such hours, making this the best LLC service for anyone looking for a hands-on company.
Cons
As much as this giant has done well in the industry, some past clients have raised concerns regarding:
- Pricing: When the company started, there was not much competition in the industry and clients overlooked the high pricing. Now with other competitors offering prices as low as $0 for similar services, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the price points in this formation service are much higher than the industry average.
- Upsells: Once you’ve decided on the services you need based on tiers, you’ll go through several prompts to add more things to your cart. It can be overwhelming and costly to get to the end of the ordering and find that your payable amount has doubled or more.
Should You Start an LLC With LegalZoom?
You must choose LegalZoom in Pennsylvania if:
- You want to work with a company that has been there and done that, and knows how to handle just about anything that may crop up when registering your business.
- You want a company that has legal experience that can help you navigate any complex issues you come across when filing your LLC paperwork.
- You want a company that has received numerous positive Legal Zoom LLC reviews from past and present clients, giving you hope that you, too, can have a success story.
Conclusion
Overall, using LegalZoom when forming your LLC in Pennsylvania is a great choice for entrepreneurs who need more than just formation services when embarking on their business journeys. However, its high pricing coupled with limited add-ons makes it a much less attractive option compared to other service providers who provide more value for less money. But if you’re after a great customer experience, hands-on professionalism, a guarantee to have your money back if dissatisfied as well as experience, very few companies will live up to it.
I chatted with Clattier (Chris) today regarding the Registered Agent service. I had a prior business that was dissolved but still had the auto renew for the Registered Agent. Clattier provided information on how to get a refund and then pay for a Registered Agent from Legalzoom on my new business. Excellent service, answered all of my questions, and provided detailed information in a manner that was easy to understand. I truly recommend using Legalzoom.
For basic legal needs, Legal Zoom has been great. You get great service, support, knowledge, without the high costs of paying lawyers for service.
Legal Zoom is my #1 team for all the stuff I dont have the time to do on my own! They make it easy n quick. & pricing is good!
As a minority-owned, female-owned business, LegalZoom’s Ms April W., took the extra time & care to work with ProMazo and guided us through the entire process. I strongly recommend anyone in need of legal advice/products, whether as a start-up or as an established entity, to firmly consider working with LegalZoom! Coca Astey, CEO – ProMazo Inc
Professional support and guidance in filing my second Provisional Patent with Legalzoom. It was even easier as their platform has improved from five years ago.
Dennis Shavelson DPM
Quickly needed a Power of Attorney for my dad in Florida. Florida is a state where there is no specific form and needs to be worded carefully. Was accomplished within hours.