Harvard Business Services, otherwise known as DelawareInc.com, is an online service that helps you form an LLC or corporation in the state of Delaware. It’s headquartered in Lewes, DE, and aims to make it easy for entrepreneurs nationwide to register a new company in Delaware, regardless of where they live.
Harvard Business Services overview
Delaware is regarded as the most business-friendly state in the US, as evidenced by the fact that more than half of all publicly traded companies in the US are incorporated in Delaware. Harvard Business Services makes it easier for business owners to take advantage of the many benefits of incorporation in the state of Delaware. They have been in the business for over 30 years, and have helped start more than 200,000 corporations and LLCs.
With Harvard Business Services (HBS), you can form a new LLC or corporation in no time. They can serve as your Registered Agent (a requirement if you don’t live in Delaware), and provide many more useful services. Prices start at just $179 – including Delaware state registration fees – making Harvard Business Services a fantastic value. The full Harvard Business Services review below will break down everything you need to know about this popular service.
Check out our roundup of the Best Online Incorporation Services
Harvard Business Services pros & cons
Like any other service, there are both advantages and disadvantages to Harvard Business Services. Here are some key points to keep in mind.
Pros
- Makes it easy to take advantage of Delaware’s business-friendly rules
- No need to be a resident of Delaware
- Form a new LLC or corporation easily
- Fees from just $179, including state registration fees
- Very competitive pricing
- Same-day electronic filing
- Receive your documents in as little as 3-6 business days
- Same day processing available for $150 extra
- Free compliance coaching
Cons
- Unlike most business formation services, this company only works in Delaware – you cannot register a company anywhere besides Delaware via the service
- The cheapest plan, Green, only has digital delivery of documents (no mailed documents)
- Minimal ongoing compliance resources
Harvard Business Services features
Harvard Business Services offers a relatively simple lineup of services, designed to help simplify and expedite the process of forming an LLC or corporation in the state of Delaware. Here’s what they offer:
- Start a new LLC or corporation in the state of Delaware
- International incorporations also available
- The process is 100% online
- Fast, same-day electronic filing
- Harvard Business Services helps you prepare all necessary documentation
- Receive your documents digitally or mailed to you, depending on the package
- Choose from 3 formation packages, starting at just $179
- Serves as your Registered Agent (included for 1st year, $50/year agent fee after that)
- Business name availability check to help you find the right company name
- Certificate of Good Standing
- Mail forwarding service
- Digital Stock Ledger
- Help obtaining federal tax ID number/EIN
- Certificate of Formation/Incorporation, and digital copy of all documents
- Lifetime customer support
- Option to order templates like banking resolution form, organizational resolutions, stock certificates, and more
- Fast processing speed – the whole process takes 3-6 business days
- Expedited processing speed (1 business day) available for extra fee
- One of the cheapest LLC formation services in Delaware
Harvard Business Services gives you all the tools and resources you need to form an LLC or corporation in the state of Delaware. They keep things simple and efficient (just like Delaware!). For founders wanting a bit wider functionality, they offer some add-ons and upgraded packages to choose from.
Advantages of Delaware Incorporation
The main selling point of Harvard Business Services is that it makes it easy to form a new company in the state of Delaware. But why bother? Why are so many companies choosing Delaware as their state of incorporation?
Delaware is widely considered to be the most business-friendly state in the United States. In fact, it’s renowned for its business-friendly policies even on a global scale. Here’s why:
- Friendly business laws – Delaware’s courts and state statutes are regularly considered to be at the forefront of international business law. The foundations for these laws are the Limited Liability Company Act and the Delaware General Corporation Law. These acts make it easy to form new businesses in Delaware, and make it efficient for out-of-state companies to incorporate in Delaware.
- Efficient courts – The Business Courts in Delaware are known for resolving business disputes in a timely and efficient manner. The Court of Chancery uses judges, rather than juries, which speeds up court cases substantially.
- Case law & precedents – Because so many companies are incorporated in Delaware, hundreds of business dispute cases are heard by the Delaware State Courts every year. Because of this, there is a huge backlog of precedents to draw from, giving better clarity to businesses incorporated in the state.
- Enhanced liability protections – LLCs are popular largely because they shield the owner from personal liability. Delaware’s state laws take it a step further, by protecting the LLC itself from the creditors of its members.
- Business-friendly tax law – Delaware has generous state tax laws, with business-friendly tax laws relating to income tax, sales tax, and tax on intangible income.
- Flexibility and privacy – Delaware provides two valuable benefits to LLC founders in the state: Privacy (by protecting owner information), and flexibility (by allowing a flexible LLC management structure).
Harvard Business Services pricing
| Green Package | Basic Package | Standard Package | |
| Price | $179 (including state fees) | $229 (including state fees) | $329 (including state fees) |
| Features |
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| Best For | The Green plan is best for those who want to register a new business in Delaware, at the lowest possible cost. It includes everything you need, and your documents will be electronically delivered to you in just 3-5 business days. | The Basic plan is best for those who want physical copies of their business formation documents, mailed to them in a timely manner. It also includes access to digital formation documents, such as operating agreements and bank resolution forms. | The Standard plan is best for those who want physical documents, mailed to them via expedited mail, and who want elegant bonus features like an embossed binder and a custom embosser with your corporate seal. |
A unique aspect of Harvard Business Services’ pricing is that it includes all fees, including state registration fees. Many competing services will display lower prices, but then charge state registration fees separately (which can often be hundreds of dollars). This, combined with Delaware’s already-low fee structure, makes forming a new business through Harvard Business Services exceptionally affordable.
The packages above are priced as one-time fees. There are no ongoing costs. However, each package includes Delaware Registered Agent service for only 12 months. If you want to keep using Harvard Business Services, Inc as your registered agent, you’ll have to pay $50 per year to keep the service (which is still quite affordable, compared to most competitors).
Customer service
Harvard Business Services has excellent customer support, available via phone, email, and Skype. Many customer reviews note positive experiences working with their customer support team, and the company has earned great ratings on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
The service also offers lifetime customer support. Although their pricing structure just consists of one-time fees, they still stand behind their customers with a lifetime of customer support.
Harvard Business Services review: Our verdict
Harvard Business Services is a great option for anyone looking to form a Delaware business entity. Unlike many competitors, it focuses solely on Delaware formations, so you can’t use this service to form a company in another state.
But if you’re looking to form a Delaware LLC or corporation, this is one of the most affordable, and most efficient ways to go about it. Harvard Business Service offers good ease of use, fast processing and shipping speeds, excellent customer support, and some of the most affordable rates in the industry.
