As a business owner, you’ve quite likely heard that you will need a registered agent. As a matter of fact, it’s quite likely it is required by law in your state that you do have your own registered agent. However, what is it that a registered agent actually do?
We will explore in detail the roles of a registered agent below, but just understand that every LLC company will need a registered agent. You can appoint your own registered agent or you could hire an agency that will handle everything on your behalf. Here’s a list of the top registered agent services review by Matthew.
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Contact Person
As we have mentioned that in most American states, a corporation is legally required to have a registered agent’s name and address made publicly available and accessible. This loosely translates into the fact that as a business owner, you will appoint a person to act as an “agent” of your company and that they are “registered” with the Secretary of State.
Whoever you choose to select to be designated as your business’s registered agent will have their name and address particulars officially and publicly on file with the Secretary of State. This means that they will get all incoming mail from the government (and from spammers and solicitors as this information will be accessible by just about anyone).
The person listed on file as your company’s registered agent will act as the go-to contact person or representative person for your business and must always be available during the usual business hours.
Keep in mind that this is very imperative. Furthermore, not listing a registered agent for your company will not hinder you from being sued or contacted by the government. Eventually, part of a registered agent’s overview is simply being an easily accessible contact person with their name and address published. That’s the most simple and easiest part!
On top of just acting as the contact person for your business or company, the registered agent will admit and forward important legal documents and serve as your corporate liaison.
Corporate Liaison
On top of just simply having contact information published, a registered agent functions as a corporate liaison between your business and the government.
If you are out of your home or go on a foreign vacation, someone still has to be available to accept vital legal documents and make sure that you as the business owner receives them. It is enormously important to have someone who is readily available because there can be serious consequences if important messages or attendance requests in court are ignored. Even if it was unintentional by you.
On top of that, it’s very important that someone you can trust accepts and delivers the documents to you. Some legal documents that a registered agent will get include annual reports, financial documents, and other communication material from the Secretary of State. At the same time, a registered agent will accept the service of process.
Service Of Process
You should know that first and foremost a registered agent is not a process server. However, the registered agent is the receiver of service of process.
Service of process basically puts into practice your legal right in due process. Just in case, in the event that your business is ever involved in a lawsuit, and you are asked to go to court, then you will have a legal right to be notified in writing that you are anticipated to appear.
Usually, a process server will deliver the summons and they will have to provide an affidavit stating that you have been served. Due to the fact that many business owners like to keep legal matters as private as possible, having a registered agent devoted to accept service of process at an alternate location is preferable.
Most business owners choose to hire a registered agent instead of serving as their own registered agent due to the convenience, value, and benefit of hiring this position out.
Conclusion
In summary, if you have yourself as the registered agent for your business, you should really think again. You may decide that it’s better to have a registered agent service perform this task instead.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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