Your Montana Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.

In any case, the Montana Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Montana Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Montana.  Your Montana Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in your Articles of Incorporation; and your Montana Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.

Montana state law restricts the use of certain words and phrases in Corporation names.  The name of a Montana Corporation also must include the word "Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.  If you choose us to help you for a new Montana Corporation we will make sure that the name you have chose complies with all Montana requirements.

It's important to choose a good name for your Montana Corporation because if you want to change it after you incorporate you will have to file amended Articles of Incorporation with the Montana Secretary of State (and pay a fee).

Every Montana Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of Montana.  This address is "registered" with the Montana Secretary of State.  The Registered Address is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.

The individual or company that is registered with the state of Montana to receive all correspondence on behalf of the Montana Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many Montana Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of Montana or to provide a distinct level of privacy.

All Montana Corporations are required to have a Board of Directors.  Directors are the people who will set policies for your Montana Corporation and manage the business and its resources.  In the majority of small corporations directors are the owners. The Articles of Incorporation or Corporate Bylaws may define specific qualifications for Directors. 

The Board of Directors is responsible for creating rules, approving budgets and distributing profits to shareholders. One of the most important duties of the Board of Directors is electing Officers for your Montana Corporation.  The same person may be a Director and an Officer at the same time.  Directors need not be residents of the state of Montana or shareholders of the Montana Corporation unless the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws require it.

Normally Directors for your Montana Corporation are elected for a term of one year.  Elections are held at the annual meeting of Shareholders.  The Directors serve until the next annual Shareholders meeting.

The Board of Directors elects Officers for your Montana Corporation in accordance with the Corporate Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation.  Officers serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors of the Montana Corporation.  Officers handle the day to day operation of the Montana Corporation.

Unless specifically prohibited by the Corporate Bylaws or Articles of Incorporation, in a Montana Corporation the same person may hold more than one Corporate Office at the same time.  However, there are certain legal affairs in which the same person cannot act in more than one capacity.

One Officer - usually the Secretary - is given responsibility for preparing Minutes of Directors and Shareholders meetings and for authenticating records for the Montana Corporation. 

The Montana Corporate Income Tax Rate is 6.75%.   You may form an S Corporation in Montana.  S Corporations may "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any Montana Corporate Income Tax.

In order to form a Corporation in Montana you must file Articles of Incorporation with the Montana Secretary of State.  The Articles of Incorporation must include certain specific information about your Montana business. If the Articles do not conform exactly to state of Montana requirements they will be rejected.  You may subsequently amend the Articles of Incorporation for your Montana Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Montana in order to make the changes official.

A Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, is used by the IRS to identify a business entity.  An FEIN is like a Social Security Number for your Montana Corporation.  All Montana Corporations are required to have an FEIN.

Corporate stock is evidence of ownership of a Montana Corporation.  When you form your Montana Corporation, you will need to determine what type of stock and the number of shares of each type that you want to authorize.  You do not have to sell the number of shares that are authorized.  Many small Montana Corporations hold 100% of the shares.

Stockholders in a Montana Corporation are entitled to voting rights or dividends of the Corporate profits or both.  Whoever owns over 50% of the stock of the Montana Corporation is able to make all Corporate business decisions.  Montana Corporations usually hold at least 51% of the corporate stock in order to retain control of the Montana Corporation.

The Board of Directors holds an initial meeting to elect Officers, authorize issuance of stock and adopt the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws are the internal rules of your Montana Corporation.  They are adopted by the Board of Directors and vary widely from Corporation to Corporation.  Commonly bylaws include the number of seats on the board of directors; how Directors are elected; how meetings of Directors and Shareholders are to be conducted; what Officers the Montana Corporation will have and a description of each of their duties. 

As your company grows over time, you may amend your bylaws as necessary.  Bylaws generally cannot be amended by the Board of Directors unilaterally.  A vote by the majority of Stockholders of the Montana Corporation is usually required to amend the Corporate Bylaws.  Bylaws may include any rules for managing the business and conducting corporate affairs.  Almost anything may be written into the Bylaws, however, the Bylaws must not be in violation of any federal or Montana law or the Montana Corporation's Articles of Incorporation.  A copy of the Corporate Bylaws should be maintained at the Corporation's principal Montana office.

Note that forming a Montana Corporation doesn't take the place of obtaining a business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Montana Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.

Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your Montana Corporation you may need to get one or more city business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Montana Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Montana in which you want to conduct business.

If your Montana Corporation will be selling products in Montana you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Montana state agency.  If your Montana Corporation will be selling products in Montana you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Montana sales taxes if there are any.

Every Montana Corporation must hold corporate and shareholder meetings, at least annually, and must keep minutes of each meeting on file.  A copy of the minutes is evidence that the meetings took place and includes all resolutions that were adopted.  The minutes of each meetings must be open for inspection by any Shareholder or Director.  This meeting requirement is often overlooked and comes into play when the Montana Corporation is challenged for any reason.  Keeping proper meeting minutes and documenting resolutions made and approved by the Directors is a formality that could save your Montana Corporation a lot of potential trouble.

The Montana Secretary of State does not have any Initial Annual Report requirements for Montana Corporations.

Every Montana Corporation must file an Annual Report EACH year with the Montana Secretary of State.

The Montana Corporation Annual Report is due at the Montana Secretary of State by April 15 EACH year.

If a Montana Corporation fails to file its Corporation Annual Report by the April 15 due date then the MT Secretary of State will impose a late filing fee on the Montana Corporation.

If a Montana Corporation does not file its Corporation Annual Report with the Montana Secretary of State by November 29 that Montana Corporation will be involuntarily dissolved by the Montana Secretary of State.