About FormCost

Most "LLC cost" articles quote one filing fee and stop. The real cost includes annual reports, first-year taxes, publication rules and registering in the states where you actually do business. FormCost puts those together in one free calculator, alongside three more tools for the next decisions: whether an S-corp election pays off, what a first employee really costs in each state, and how much to pay the IRS each quarter. Every rate shows its source and whether we confirmed it on an official page.

Who's behind FormCost

FormCost is built by an attorney by training with an MBA who has set up and run businesses across several countries, and knows how quickly the "small" costs of starting and running a company add up. FormCost puts those numbers in one place, each linked to its official source.

FormCost doesn't give legal or tax advice. It's a research tool: check the official source, or talk to an attorney or tax professional, before you act.

How we check fees

• We read each state's Secretary of State and Department of Revenue pages and fee schedules.
• Each amount shows a verified badge when we confirmed it on an official page, or unverified with a secondary source when we couldn't.
• Every state page shows the date we last checked it and links to every source.
• We re-check every rate against its official source each week.

Spotted an outdated fee? Email hello@formcost.com and we will re-check it.