Sign Alabama Profit Sharing Agreement Template Fast

Document type sign profit sharing agreement template alabama mobile

- A DBA, or Doing Business As, is essentially a nickname for your company. In Alabama, a DBA is also called a Trade Name. DBAs are a great way to rebrand your company name, to add new brands to your company, or to change your company name completely. For sole proprietors and partnerships, DBAs offer the ability to operate under a name that isn't the business owner's surname. For more information on the specifics of what a DBA is and how it can be used, check out our other video, linked below. In this video, we will go over the steps you need to take in order to form a DBA in Alabama. (uplifting music) There are two ways to form a DBA. You can do it yourself, or you can hire a service to do it for you. Let's take a look at both options and help you decide how to go about forming your own DBA. One, do it yourself. If you want to save money, you can form a DBA on your own. Let's take a look at the steps to forming a DBA in Alabama on your own. One, complete name searches. When determining what you want your DBA name to be, you'll want to make sure you follow Alabama naming requirements. For more details, check out our video, "How to Name Your Business in Alabama" or our naming guides linked below. Next you'll want to make sure the name is available in Alabama. The first and most important search is with the Alabama Secretary of State's Business Entity Records. If the name is not available, you'll have to adjust your name or use a different one. We provide instructions to search your business name in Alabama on howtostartanllc.com, linked below. Searching is free. To learn more visit Alabama Naming Guides, linked in the description below. After confirming your name is available in Alabama, we recommend doing a domain search to see if your name is available as a URL. Even if you don't plan on making a website today, we recommend buying your domain in order to prevent others from acquiring it. Two, start operating under your DBA. After you've chosen an available name, Alabama requires that you start operating under your trade name before you can register it. So, if you'd like to register and protect the trade name in Alabama, you need to start using it right away. Alabama will require three specimens of your trade name being used. Such specimens can include business cards, brochures, flyers, labels, decals, et cetera. Specimens must be unaltered and legible. The trade name application will ask where and when you used the trade name for the first time, so make sure you have record of that as well. Three, register your DBA. After confirming your name is available and operating under your trade name, you'll want to register your DBA. For all business structures in Alabama, filing is done through the Secretary of State. You can file online on the Alabama Secretary of State's website, or you can complete the application to register or renew a trade name form and submit it by mail or in person. The application will ask for your desired trade name and information about your business, such as, how the trade name will be used, the mark type, for example trademark, service mark, or trade name, the date the name was first used and the state it was first used in, the date the name was first used in Alabama specifically, and some examples of the name being used in your business. Filing fees vary, so check out our pages linked below for more detailed information. And with that, you'll have a DBA in Alabama. Keep in mind that your Alabama DBA needs to be renewed every five years. You can either renew online or complete the trade name registration or renewal form and turn it in by mail or in person. Option two, the second way to form a DBA is to hire a professional service to create your DBA for you. Hiring a professional service to file your forms and do name searches will cost you an additional 50 to 150 dollars. However, there are several benefits to working with a pro. A hired professional files your DBA for you, keeps you up to date with renewals and assists with publications. DBAs, or Doing Business As, are also known as trade names, assumed names, or fictitious names of a business. Informal business structures like sole proprietorships and partnerships can use DBAs as their business name instead of their surnames. Formal business structures, like LLCs and Corporations, can use DBAs as a means to rebrand their name, add new brands, or change the name they are using as their business name. DBAs are not a business structure and are not separate legal entities. They also do not provide asset protection or liability protection to informal business structures. For state-specific guides on how to form a DBA, check out the pages linked below. And for a more detailed guide, visit startupsavant.com. (uplifting music) Give the video a like if you found it useful and subscribe if you'd like to see more. And if you have questions or encounter any roadblocks, leave a comment below. Good luck in starting your small business.