The process of Legally Closing a Corporation in Nebraska is called Dissolution.  After a Nebraska Corporation has been Dissolved, it ceases to be Legally Active in the Nebraska Secretary of State's records and may no longer Legally conduct business in the state of Nebraska.

A Nebraska Corporation is created when the NE Secretary of State approves the Formation Documents - Articles of Incorporation.  A record of the Nebraska Corporation is added to the list of Corporations which have officially registered with the Nebraska Secretary of State.  Once a Corporation is registered with the Nebraska Secretary of State, that Corporation immediately has both reporting and tax obligations which incur penalties if the obligations are not met by the required deadlines.

If you've registered a Nebraska Corporation with the Nebraska Secretary of State and want to cease business activities you have to let the NE Secretary of State know that you intend to close your company.  Only after the NE Secretary of State has made sure that all of the obligations of the Nebraska Corporation have been fulfilled will the Secretary of State approve of the closure of the company.

When the Nebraska Secretary of State approves the closing of a NE Corporation, that Nebraska Corporation is said to be Dissolved.  The process of Dissolving a Nebraska Corporation is called Nebraska Corporation Dissolution.

The state of Nebraska does not require Tax Clearance from the NE Department of Revenue before a Nebraska Corporation is dissolved. However the Nebraska Corporation is required to file a final NE state income tax return with the Nebraska Department of Revenue.

As soon as a Nebraska Corporation is registered with the NE Secretary of State, that Corporation is responsible for recurring obligations of the Nebraska Secretary of State and the Nebraska Department of Revenue.  If a Nebraska Corporation does not file its required reports or pay its tax obligations, then that NE Corporation could be responsible for penalties which compound as time goes by.

Unless you Dissolve (Legally Close) your Nebraska Corporation with the Nebraska Secretary of State that NE Corporation will be responsible for all recurring fees and penalties until the company has been legally closed.

Nebraska Corporation Dissolution is one part of a larger process commonly called the "Winding Up" process.

There are things you need to do before you can request approval of Corporation Dissolution from the Nebraska Secretary of State; and things that you have to do after the NE Secretary of State has approved Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation. 

When a Nebraska Corporation is originally created, the Organizers may create Bylaws that define how the Corporation will be run.  The Bylaws may include pretty much anything that has to do with running the Corporation, including specific requirements which need to be followed before the Corporation may be Legally Closed.  Before you do anything else, you should review the Bylaws for anything that needs to be done before the Business is Legally Closed.

What you have to do both before and after the Nebraska Corporation is Dissolved largely depends on how much stock, if any, has been issued and how much and what kind of debts and liabilities that the Nebraska Corporation has.  If the Nebraska Corporation has not commenced business then the NE Corporation Dissolution process is easier.

1. Hold a Board of Directors meeting and record a resolution to Dissolve the Nebraska Corporation
   
   If a Board of Directors has been appointed for the Nebraska Corporation, then the Board is required to adopt a resolution to Dissolve the NE Corporation.  There should be a majority of Board Members who vote Yes to Legally Close the company.  A formal date on which the Corporation will be closed should be specified.  Minutes of the meeting should be recorded and retained in the business records.  If the Board of Directors has not been appointed then the Incorporator(s) have to apply for Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation.
   
   We can transcribe and compile any minutes or approvals into a form that is legally recognized by the Nebraska Secretary of State.
   
   
2. Hold a Shareholder meeting to approve Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation
   
   If a Nebraska Corporation has issued shares of stock then a meeting of the Shareholders (owners) must be held and recorded. A majority of Corporate Shareholders must approve the Dissolution plan.  The approval actions should be documented and kept in the business records.
   
   If no shares have been issued then the Nebraska Corporation Dissolution process is easier.
   
   
   If necessary, we can transcribe and compile minutes into a form that is legally recognized by the Nebraska Secretary of State.
   
   
3. File all required Biennial Reports with the Nebraska Secretary of State
   
   The Nebraska Secretary of State will not approve the Dissolution of a NE Corporation until all required administrative reports have been filed.
   
   We can file any requiredBiennial Reports with the NE Secretary of State.
   
   
4. Clear up any business debts
   
   All creditors of a Nebraska Corporation should be given notice of the pending Corporation Dissolution. Each creditor should be given a mailing address to which they may submit claims as well as a deadline by which claims may be submitted.
   
   
5. Pay all taxes and administrative fees owed by the Nebraska Corporation
   
   The Nebraska Secretary of State will definitely not approve the Dissolution of a Nebraska Corporation until all outstanding taxes and applicable registration and administrative fees have been paid.

1. Distribute all remaining assets of the Nebraska Corporation
2. Close all business bank accounts of the Nebraska Corporation
3. Cancel all local business licenses and permits
4. File Form 966 with the IRS
5. Cancel the IRS account associated with the NE Corporation's Federal Tax ID (EIN)
6. Publish a Notice of Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation
7. Keep Records of all Pertinent Business Documents

1. Distribute all remaining assets of the Nebraska Corporation
   
   If the Nebraska Corporation has any remaining assets, these may be divided according to the Shareholders' ownership interests in the NE Corporation. All distributions to Corporate Shareholders must be reported to the IRS.  Refer to the Corporation Bylaws for specific requirements, if any, for asset distribution.
   
   
2. Close all business bank accounts of the Nebraska Corporation
   
   If there are any business accounts that have been opened for the Nebraska Corporation then those accounts must be closed.  If any Corporate business accounts are left open there may be liability and obligations of the Dissolved Nebraska Corporation which could lead to legal problems.
   
   
3. Cancel all local business licenses and permits of the NE Corporation
   
   If the Nebraska Corporation has obtained any state, regional, county or city business licenses or permits, there may be cancellation requirements associated with those licenses or permits.  Each of those must be cancelled to avoid any reporting or fiscal obligations the Nebraska Corporation may have.  This includes business registration licenses as well as reseller permits.
   
   
4. File IRS Form 966
   
   A Dissolved Nebraska Corporations may be required to file IRS Form 966 with the US Internal Revenue Service.  This filing is required within 30 days after the final Dissolution plan is approved.  Filing IRS Form 966 lets the Federal Government know that the Nebraska Corporation has been legally Dissolved so that it may take the appropriate actions.
   
   
   We can prepare IRS Form 966 for you to file.
   
   
5. Cancel the IRS account associated with the NE Corporation's Federal Tax ID (EIN)
   
   A Federal Tax ID, or Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), is like a Social Security Number for the Nebraska Corporation.  Once the IRS links an EIN to a Nebraska Corporation, that EIN stays with the Nebraska Corporation even after the Company has been Dissolved by the Nebraska Secretary of State.
   
   When the IRS processes the final tax return for the Nebraska Corporation, they automatically make the EIN inactive.  However, the account associated with the EIN is not automatically closed.  Closing the account associated with the EIN lessens the likelihood of any problems with the EIN account, or with the IRS, in the future.
   
   If you should decide to revive the Nebraska Corporation down the line the IRS will reactivate the old EIN for your new Business.
   
   Before a Nebraska Corporation can close an EIN account, it must be in Good Standing with the IRS.  The Nebraska Corporation must have filed all required tax returns and paid any applicable fees and penalties due to the IRS.  The Nebraska Corporation cannot close its EIN account until the IRS has received payment for any tax amounts the Company may owe.
   
   
   We can prepare the formal documents which you can sign and submit to the IRS in order to close the account associated with your EIN.
   
   
6. Publish a Notice of Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation
   
   A Notice of Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation must be published for three consecutive weeks. Proof of publication must be submitted to the Nebraska Secretary of State after the Notice of Dissolution has been published.
   
   
   We can prepare a Notice of Dissolution and make sure it gets published according to the NE Secretary of State's rules.
   
   
7. Keep Records of all Pertinent Business Documents
   
   In order to avoid problems down the line, you should keep copies of all tax filings, contracts and employment records on file as well as Certified Copies of all company documents filed with the Secretary of State.  This includes your Formation Documents - your original Articles of Incorporation and any Amendments - and all Dissolution douments.

You notify the IRS that your Nebraska Corporation has been Closed on the final tax return that is filed for your Business. 

If you have employees and file taxes quarterly with IRS Form 941, Employers Quarterly Tax Return, check the appropriate box on that form to let the IRS know that your Corporation has Closed.  If you file yearly taxes do the same on IRS Form 944, Employers Yearly Tax Return. You should also attach a statement to the return showing the name of the person keeping the payroll records and the address where those records will be retained.

When you opened your Nebraska Corporation you most likely were assigned a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).  Once the IRS links an EIN to a Corporation, that EIN stays with the Corporation even after the Company has been Dissolved.  If you don't plan to reopen your Nebraska Corporation after it has been Closed, you should cancel the EIN account that has been assigned to your Company.

The time it takes to Dissolve a Nebraska Corporation varies depending on how long it takes to complete the actions that are required in each specific case - holding meetings, closing accounts, distributing assets, etc.

Once the initial actions are completed, the Nebraska Secretary of State usually takes around 3-5 business days to process the Articles of Dissolution.

Processing times for Nebraska Corporation Dissolution filings vary depending on the work load of the Secretary of State's staff.  We've found that normal processing of Nebraska Dissolution filings takes the state around 3-5 business days.

We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the Nebraska Secretary of State . In our experience 3-5 business days is the time it usually takes the Nebraska Secretary of State to process a Nebraska Dissolution filing. We get your Nebraska Corporation Dissolution filing to the NE Secretary of State as soon as possible after we receive your order. Once it is at the state we have no control over the Nebraska Dissolution approval process.

The total cost to Dissolve a Nebraska Corporation varies depending on exactly what is required for each specific NE Dissolution. We charge $249 plus any state fees for our Nebraska Corporation Dissolution services. This includes:

• Same day processing
• Transcribe minutes of Board of Directors meeting which proposes Dissolution
• Transcribe minutes of Shareholders meeting at which Dissolution was approved
• Prepare and file Articles of Dissolution with the Nebraska Secretary of State
• Prepare US IRS Form 966 for you to sign and file
• Prepare documents to cancel Federal EIN account
• Certified copy of Dissolution filing from NE Secretary of State
• Priority Mail Delivery of all documents
• Unlimited Customer Support

We also offer these Nebraska Corporation Dissolution services separately as explained below.

If there are Foreign Corporations in states other than Nebraska that are tied to the Domestic Nebraska Corporation then each of those Foreign Corporations must be Dissolved before the Nebraska Corporation can be legally Dissolved.

A Nebraska Corporation company name becomes available for anyone to use when the Nebraska Corporation is Dissolved by the Nebraska Secretary of State. There are no Corporation company name protections in Nebraska once a Nebraska Corporation has been Dissolved.

A Notice of Dissolution of the Nebraska Corporation must be published for three consecutive weeks. Proof of publication must be submitted to the Nebraska Secretary of State after the Notice of Dissolution has been published.