the Corporation is for profit Names and Addresses of Incorporators Names and Address of who will receive mail and where Names and Addresses of Officers A statement that summarizes the core purpose of the business The number of authorized shares of stock Other information may be required upon filing but this varies from state to state Where to file Many corporations file in the state in which they are doing business, although this is not required by law. Corporations doing business in multiple states often file articles in the particular state that is the most lenient on corporations. A majority of public corporations in the United States file in Delaware or Nevada, although Wyoming is a popular choice as well. Delaware: Over 60% of Fortune 500 companies and 75% of new corporations every year are incorporated in the state of Delaware due to the state’s favorable corporate treatment. The state’s unique court, the Court of Chancery, allows corporate disputes to be heard without a jury within a reasonable time compared to non-corporate disputes. State corporate laws are very modern and specifically detail what a corporation is allowed to do, and as a result other states often try to emulate Delaware’s legal corporate model. There is even further protection for corporations via the Delaware Asset Protection Trust in which personal assets are protected in the event of litigation. In order to abide by securities laws, some companies are even required to incorporate in Delaware. Nevada: Despite having the highest registration fee in the United States and a negative stigma, Nevada is a very popular state for incorporation. The main reason for this is that the corporation does not have to pay any of the numerous state taxes. Similar to Delaware, some companies are mandated to incorporate in the state in order to be in compliance with securities law. Filing in Nevada also affords the corporate owners privacy as the state does not require names to do so. Unlike many other states, the corporation does not have to do business nor do any of the owners have to be a resident in the state to incorporate there. Wyoming: The standard filing fees owed in the process of incorporating are zero in Wyoming, and the only fee owed is minimal compared to other states. Other favorable corporate laws include asset protection for owners as well as confidential information protection through requiring the usage