Executive Summary
When it comes to securing asset protection quickly, accessing contracts or lease agreements without corporate history, or incorporating a company after doing business as a sole proprietor, utilizing a previously formed and seasoned aged shelf corporation can save significant time and money.
A well-formed and maintained aged shelf corporation offers a spectrum of benefits:
● Convenience of securing an entity without taking the time to build it from scratch
● Seasoning of an older incorporation date creates credibility and enhanced positioning
● High levels of asset protection & privacy
However, not all aged-shelf corporations are created equal. Promises of corporate credit lines can also come with future liability attached. If the vendor defaulted on paying state fees at any point during the aging process, it will show on public record — even if these fees are brought current before the transfer.
While aged shelf corporations are readily available for purchase online, it is crucial to know what to look for in a vendor, and what to avoid when buying an aged corporation. Follow the following guidelines to learn how to buy an aged shelf corporation.
To ensure the aged shelf corporation is truly clean and will immediately serve a client’s needs, seek these critical capabilities in a vendor:
● Keeps a diverse inventory of aged shelf corporations & guides in choosing the best fit for a client’s individual needs
● Readily reachable for direct questions and rapid turnaround
● Guarantees in writing that the aged shelf corporation has never been used and is clean
● All paperwork for Certificates of Good Standing and Certified Articles of Incorporation from the state is organized and ready for transfer
This white paper delves into these capabilities in more detail and introduces a vendor of aged shelf corporations that provides clean companies, guaranteed: Wyoming Corporate Services.
Checklist Could an Aged Shelf Corporation be Beneficial to You?
● Do you need to secure asset protection quickly? How about within a couple of hours?
● Do you have equipment or office space you need to lease, but don’t have an incorporation date that qualifies your business for consideration?
● Have you been in business as a sole proprietor for several years and are just now incorporating — and hoping to obtain an incorporation date that matches your company’s true tenure?
If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, read on to explore the benefits of buying a shelf company, as they can save you time and money — and to determine whether or not you’re dealing with a trustworthy vendor of shelf corporations.
1. What is an Aged Shelf Corporation?
Simply put, an aged shelf corporation is a company formed and metaphorically placed on the shelf to age. Not unlike a wine tucked safely away in the cellar to mature (and improve) over time, an aged corporation should have no activity beyond the maintenance of state fees to keep the company in good standing during its time on the shelf.
This means a truly clean shelf corporation will have no Employee Identification Number (EIN), assets or liabilities, bank account, trade lines, or corporate credit.
Just the seasoned value of time.
Shelf Corporation Formation & Aging Process Entity Formed (2 days – 6 weeks or more; articles of incorporation & bylaws; effective date stamped) –> Placed on Shelf (1 month – over a decade; state fees kept current)
Ownership Transferred (1 day; all articles of incorporation with formation date stamp)
2. All About Convenience
Don’t have time to create a new entity? An aged shelf corporation can be obtained from a good vendor quickly — often within a matter of hours.
Forming a corporation from scratch varies from state to state, with processing times of 1-3 days to 2-3 weeks or more. While this is a quicker turnaround than in years past, there are situations in which it isn’t fast enough; during the purchase of real estate or the settling of an estate, for example.
Once a transaction is initiated, time is of the essence.
Aged shelf corporations have already been registered with the state they were formed in, with all Articles of Incorporation and bylaws detailing how the corporation will be governed in order. This means that the seasoned aged shelf corporation can be purchased, all articles transferred, and a business bank account established within a single day.
3. Invaluable Benefit of Time
The older incorporation date that comes stamped on a seasoned aged shelf corporation adds the perception of longevity in the marketplace. This seasoning is valuable in creating credibility and the appearance of corporate history and enhances a company’s ability to position itself to access and bid on contracts, or to obtain leasing agreements.
In the case of a contractor who has operated as a sole proprietor for several years but now wishes to incorporate, choosing an aged shelf corporation that corresponds to the actual age of the company in question is key. Ensuring that the incorporation age and business age match can tip the scale favorably when it comes to securing potential customers.
Higher Levels of Privacy & Protection
Aged shelf corporations can be registered in any state as a foreign company doing business in that state. And no other state in the U.S. offers higher levels of business privacy than Wyoming when it comes to protecting assets.
The first LLC statutes in the United States were instituted in Wyoming in 1977 and updated in 2010 to stay relevant. Wyoming has had limited liability companies longer than any other state and has the strongest laws in the country to protect these businesses. With no legal requirement for the names of shareholders to be filed with the state, this information will never be listed or shared publicly.
Buying a shelf corporation that was formed and aged in a state like Wyoming protects not only assets but an individual’s right to privacy as well.
4. When it Comes to Purchasing an Aged Shelf Corporation, What Should Buyers Look For?
Vendors of aged shelf corporations often list online and can be contacted directly for information and guidance in selecting and purchasing the best fit for an individual’s needs. This easy access is convenient; however, with all the options available, it can be difficult to discern one vendor (and its inventory) from the next.
The rest of this white paper details the key qualities of a truly clean aged shelf corporation, why these qualities are important, and how to identify a trustworthy vendor.
But first: What to avoid.
Not Clean? Not Worth the Risk
A truly clean aged shelf corporation will have no bank account, no tradelines, and no corporate credit. It will have no financial history whatsoever.
Why is this important? An aged shelf company that comes with a financial history may also have pre-existing debt issues and business transactions that could lead to future liability.
If it’s not clean, it’s not worth the risk.
Corporate credit is not something that can be bought or sold. A vendor who claims to provide shelf companies with corporate credit built-in is not selling a clean corporation.
All Fees Kept Current Throughout the Entire Shelf Life.
Steer clear of any vendor that cannot guarantee the aged corporation’s fees have been kept current with the state throughout the entire seasoning period. If at any point during this time the vendor has defaulted on paying state fees, it will show on public record.
An aged shelf corporation that has not been kept in Good Standing can face an unexpected uphill slog if it is allowed, at any point in time, to go inactive — even if back fees are paid and the corporation is brought current before being transferred to a new owner.
What to Look for in an Ideal Vendor
1. The inventory of shelf corporations includes companies that have been aged in multiple states for varying lengths of time; the vendor provides guidance in choosing the aged shelf corporation that best fits a client’s needs.
2. Vendor is readily reachable, on the phone or by email, for direct questions and prompt service.
3. Vendor guarantees in writing that the seasoned aged shelf corporation has no assets, tradelines, or liabilities, nor do they have EINs issued; they have never been used and are absolutely clean.
4. The aged shelf corporation should come with Certificates of Good Standing and Certified Articles of Incorporation from the state, with all paperwork organized and ready for transfer in short order.
Fortunately, there is a vendor of aged shelf corporations that fits this bill (and more): Wyoming Corporate Services, Inc.
Wyoming Corporate Services: Clean Companies, Guaranteed
Wyoming Corporate Services, Inc. has an extensive inventory that includes shelf corporations that have been aged in 15 different states for up to 13 years. They have sold thousands of shelf corporations over the past 17 years, and are one of the only vendors in the U.S. to form and age these companies in multiple states.
Each Wyoming Corporate Services aged shelf corporation comes with a Certificate of Good Standing and Certified Articles of Incorporation from the state — documents that are key to ensuring these corporations are pristine.
In addition to guaranteeing their companies have been kept in good standing, with all state fees paid up to the renewal date, a deluxe corporate binder can also be purchased from us.
Rapid Turnaround Service
Wyoming Corporate Services keeps a current inventory of their aged shelf corporations listed on their website, with agents readily available to consult on the selection of a shelf corporation with the location and incorporation date that will best fit a client’s individual needs.
The agents at Wyoming Corporate Services can get a PDF copy of all important articles in the new owner’s inbox in as little as two hours, streamlining the purchase process and unlocking the benefits of the aged shelf corporation immediately.
Best Economic Climate for Business
According to the 2020 edition of the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index, Wyoming ranks #1 in both the overall and corporate tax categories. This is because companies formed in Wyoming have no corporate state taxes, business license fees, or officer filing fees.
Wyoming has held the position of having the lowest taxes by state since 2016.
Because of this, Wyoming is an ideal state to incorporate in. While Wyoming Corporate Services, Inc. has a significant inventory of shelf corporations formed and aged across the U.S., a large portion of their aged shelf corporations inventory was formed in Wyoming as this state has the best economic climate for business.
Public Record Address Service
Purchasing an aged shelf corporation that was formed and aged in Wyoming ensures a higher level of privacy, as the state does not collect or list shareholder information.
Wyoming Corporate Services takes this privacy a step further with its signature Public Record Address Service.
As the registered agents of the shelf corporation, Wyoming Corporate Services, Inc. provides a suite number listed publicly as the principal mailing address of the company — so the shareholder’s address remains private.
Conclusions
Aged shelf corporations can be beneficial in securing asset protection quickly, accessing contracts or lease agreements, and incorporating after doing business as a sole proprietor for several years.
Not all vendors of shelf corporations are equal. To safeguard against future liability, it is important to be wary of any vendor who cannot guarantee, in writing, that their inventory of shelf
corporations is truly clean, with all state fees kept current. A vendor who claims to provide shelf companies with corporate credit built-in is not selling a clean corporation.
An ideal vendor of aged shelf corporations will provide:
● Certificates of Good Standing and Certified Articles of Incorporation
● Diverse Inventory
● Readily Accessible Guidance Service
● Rapid Turnaround
Selecting a vendor with these key capabilities will save time and money, and ensure that the aged shelf corporation is a good fit for the needs of the client.
To find out more about how you or a client can experience the advantages of a shelf company, visit https://wyomingcompany.com/aged-corporation/ .
About Wyoming Corporate Services, Inc.
Wyoming Corporate Services has been in business since 2003, with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and over 1200 five-star reviews on Trustpilot.
Located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, they provide rapid and reliable service for establishing companies and selling aged-shelf corporations.
Privacy is a priority and, to guarantee their signature Public Record Address Service, Wyoming Corporate Services has secured a 25-year lease on the building they’re based in.
They’ll be there when you need them.
For more information, please visit wyomingcompany.com.
You can see a partial list of aged companies at:
Aged Shelf Companies | Wyoming Shelf Corporations (wyomingcompany.com)