Form Your LLC Guide

Form your LLC with confidence

Plain-English guides to starting a limited liability company: what it protects, what it costs, the steps your state requires, and when it makes sense to pay a service to file for you.

Have Swyft file it for you →Or follow the free DIY guide

The easy route: Swyft Filings prepares and submits your paperwork. Your state’s filing fee applies either way.

Affiliate disclosure: the Swyft Filings link is an affiliate link — we earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.

What an LLC is for

A limited liability company (LLC) is a business structure created under state law. Its main job is to separate the business from you personally. If the business is sued or can’t pay a debt, your personal assets — your home, car, and savings — are generally shielded, as long as you keep the business and personal sides genuinely separate.

LLCs are popular because they combine that liability protection with flexibility. By default, the IRS taxes a single-member LLC like a sole proprietorship and a multi-member LLC like a partnership, so profits “pass through” to the owners’ personal returns. You can also elect to be taxed as an S corporation later if that saves you money.

Who should consider forming one

  • Freelancers and consultants who sign client contracts and want a layer of protection.
  • Side businesses that are starting to earn real money — online stores, rentals, services.
  • Partners going into business together, who need an agreed set of rules for ownership and decisions.
  • Real estate investors who want to hold property in a separate entity.
  • Anyone who needs a business bank account, EIN, or a more professional presence with clients and vendors.

An LLC isn’t always necessary. If you’re testing an idea with little risk and no revenue yet, a sole proprietorship may be fine for now. And an LLC doesn’t replace good insurance — it protects you from the business’s debts, not from your own personal negligence.

Do it yourself, or use a formation service?

Easiest

Let a service file it for you

A service prepares and submits your filing, can act as your registered agent, and often bundles an operating agreement template and EIN filing. You pay the state fee plus the service’s package price. Best if you want it done quickly and correctly without the paperwork.

Start with Swyft Filings →

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Do it yourself

You file Articles of Organization directly with your Secretary of State and pay only the state fee (roughly $35 to $500, depending on the state). Most states have an online portal. Best if you’re comfortable with forms and deadlines.

See the DIY steps →

Start here

Last updated October 2026. State rules and fees change — always confirm with your Secretary of State.