Statutory merger is a legal process in which two or more businesses combine to form a single new entity, consolidating their assets, liabilities, and operations under a unified structure.
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The limited liability company (LLC) and the corporation are both formal business entities with plenty of their own advantages and disadvantages. When you’re first forming your business, one or the other might seem like the right fit, but as your business grows and matures, you may realize that the other entity type would better suit your company.
While there are three different ways to convert a business from one entity type to another, we always recommend the statutory conversion when possible. But what is a statutory merger, and why is it still in use?
In this article, we’ll answer these questions and more, as we explain all the relevant details of the statutory merger.
The statutory merger is no longer the most popular method for converting one type of business to another, but it is still used frequently in a handful of states. The statutory merger starts with the formation of a brand-new business entity, followed by a vote to approve a merger between your existing entity and the new one.
Then, your business owners will need to voluntarily and formally trade in their ownership in your previous entity for ownership shares in the new entity. Finally, you’ll need to draft and file a document usually called a certificate of merger with your Secretary of State to officially merge the two companies.
The reason this is no longer the preferred option is that there is a new method that is significantly less hassle, and also typically less expensive. However, it’s not available in all 50 states, which is why the statutory merger persists somewhat to this day.
The statutory conversion is the simplest way to convert your business from one entity type to another. Statutory conversions were introduced into the American business world fairly recently, and as such, they’re still only available in 35 states.
This process has some variance from state to state, but in general, it starts with the company’s ownership group agreeing to convert the business entity type and drafting a conversion plan. Then, those owners need to hold a vote to approve the conversion. In a corporation, you’ll need to provide the company’s stockholders with the plan so they can vote on it, while in an LLC, you just need a majority of the company’s owners to approve the plan.
The next step is to draft and file the certificate of conversion. The exact information needed to complete the certificate of conversion can vary depending on which state you’re converting an entity in, but generally speaking, you’ll need to provide the Secretary of State with the following information:
You will also need to prepare and file the formation documents for the business entity you wish to convert to — the articles of organization for an LLC, or the articles of incorporation for a corporation. Finally, you’ll need to formally dissolve your original business entity, and your statutory conversion is complete.
If this process sounds like more of a hassle than you’re willing to take on, or if you would rather have the peace of mind that each step was completed correctly by a professional, you do have some options. You could hire a business attorney to convert your business entity, although this is an extremely expensive route that could see your expenses climb into the thousands of dollars.
Another option is to hire a business services company. While there aren’t nearly as many options as there are for forming an LLC or corporation, there are still several reputable companies offering business conversion service. Take a look at a few of our favorite options:
Generally speaking, the statutory conversion is a much simpler method than the statutory merger for converting a business from one entity type to another. However, the fact that the statutory conversion isn’t available in all 50 states means that some entrepreneurs are stuck using the statutory merger anyway.
If either process gets overwhelming, keep in mind that there are reputable companies that can help you out. If you run into any trouble, give Swyft Filings, LegalZoom, or BizFilings a call and they’ll handle the process on your behalf.
We hope this article helped you develop your understanding of the statutory merger!
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Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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