There are many reason to set up or purchase a shelf corporation. Your company may be looking to bid on a contract with jurisdiction restrictions, or maybe you're looking to start a new business but want to skip all of the headaches of setting one up. Whatever your reason, a shelf corporation business may be just what you're looking for.

Whether your business is looking to set up a shelf company or buy aged shelf corporations, it is imperative that you stay on top of shelf corporation news and trends. As you begin your shelf corporation research, consider the following:

1. There are industry sites with sections devoted entirely to shelf company news.

2. Blogs and news feeds are great sources of aged shelf corp. news and advice.

3. Newsletters and RSS feed subscriptions are an easy and time-effective way to stay current with shelf corporation news and trends.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Visit sites that cover shelf company and aged shelf corporation news

Many shelf company-focused websites provide dedicated news sections directly on their sites. Such sites are great sources for not only news, but also offer many other resources related to the business of shelf corporations. If you are just starting out with shelf companies, these sites are the best places to begin your research.

I recommend: Incorporation Web devotes an entire section of its website to aged shelf company news. You can also sign up for its RSS feed or its free newsletter. Visit the Offshore News & Links section of the Moores Rowland website for news that focuses specifically on offshore shelf companies.

Stay up-to-date with blogs and news feeds about shelf companies and aged corporations

Look to blogs for top-notch shelf corporation news as well as expert advice, in-depth analysis and insights into shelf company creation and purchasing. News feeds are also an excellent resource for receiving the most current shelf corporation news.

I recommend: Get up-to-the-minute news from SeasonedCorporations.com's Shelf Corporations Blog. The company also provides information that covers the ins and outs of shelf corporation financing, credit and more. Stay informed with the Aged Shelf Corporations news feed provided by PRLog.

Subscribe to shelf corporation newsletters and RSS feeds

Newsletters and RSS feeds devoted to shelf corporation news are informative and convenient sources for staying up-to-date with shelf company news. Best of all, they're cost and time effective as most are delivered to you for free.

I recommend: Sign up for the free newsletter from Maritime International Limited to get the most current news about offshore shelf corporations. The site also provides you with everything you need to know about offshore incorporation and provides a handy selection of resources to fulfill all of your business's offshore needs. Read and subscribe to the RSS feed from IShelf Company Corporation.

If you are considering acquiring a shelf corporation, or a business that has been specifically shelved to age for some time before being sold, then this guide will help you with your shelf corporation research and suggest how you can find aged shelf companies. If you are thinking about starting, or already own, a shelf corporation business that creates aged corporations so they can later be sold to interested buyers, you will also find this guide to be useful.

Although a shelf corporation does not directly engage in any business activities, it can be an appealing option for someone who wants to obtain a business, and can offer the following advantages to the owner:

1. Saves on time that is normally required to create a new corporation.
2. Provides the ability to bid on contracts with government agencies when it is required that the company has been in business for a certain length of time.
3. Creates the appearance that the corporation has been around for awhile.
4. Enables the shelf corp. owner to gain access to investment capital.
5. Makes it easier for the company to obtain business credit.
6. Provides a level of protection for real estate, cash and other assets from possible future lawsuits.

A vendor of an aged shelf company that offers to put your company's name on past tax returns is being dishonest. Also, transferring assets to obscure ownership, and obtaining "friendly liens" after a lawsuit is filed or threatened, probably violates the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act and federal Bankruptcy Code. Nonetheless, it is easy to find legitimate aged shelf companies that will help you further your business goals. For example, you can obtain shelf corporation credit easily by purchasing an aged shelf company that already has an existing line of credit.

Action Steps
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Contact companies that offer a full range of services in addition to having aged shelf corporations

There are a number of vendors of shelf corporations that provide other services such as setting up limited liability companies or helping a business to incorporate.

I recommend: Companies Incorporate has a long list of offshore shell companies and US aged shelf corporations, some that include credit packages. A young shelf corp., for example, may be available for less than $1,000; however, an aged shelf corp. in its inventory, such as one that is over 100 years old, could cost $180,000 or more. Harvard Business Services, Inc. also has a large number of shelf corporations for sale.

Consider forming a shelf corporation on your own

In the United States it is relatively easy to simply file the papers that incorporate a firm or there are a variety of do-it-yourself books that can be of help.

I recommend: Payloadz is a website where you can download a book titled Shelf Corp Development Kit: Build Your Own Aged Shelf Corp Credit. Nolo.com has a book titled Incorporate Your Business: A Legal Guide to Forming a Corporation in Your State. Laughlin Associates specializes in corporations in Nevada, which is second behind Delaware in the number of corporate filings.

Get information about offshore shelf companies

Offshore shelf companies should not be confused with offshore shell companies because the latter are generally set up for black market purposes.

I recommend: CCP, Inc. (Caribbean Citizenship Program) is located in Dominica, West Indies, and has offshore shelf companies available for sale. Maritime International Ltd. an offshore service provider with headquarters in Antigua, also offers aged shelf corporations for sale.

Contact companies that specialize in discount shelf corporation businesses and auctions

There are a number of smaller companies that do not offer a full range of services but may still have good deals on shelf corporations.

I recommend: Corporate Fast Track (CFT) conducts auctions and raffles for a variety of aged shelf companies with guaranteed Paydex Scores (a Dun and Bradstreet rating of how quickly a corporation pays its vendors). Shelf Corporation specializes in selling Nevada and Wyoming shelf corporations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The Las Vegas Sun (June 2, 2008) reports that Richard M. Krawczyk, a business credit expert who owns 30 Nevada shelf corporations, discovered a three-year old shelf corp. was missing. (In 2006, Nevada was one of three states a congressional subcommittee criticized for lax corporate filing practices, arguing Nevada could be a haven for money laundering because it's easy for a corporation to hide its principals.) He called the secretary of state and was informed that his company had been renamed and had a new president. Krawczyk contacted the new president who said he bought the shelf company for $10,000 from a California company called Corporate Credit Association of America, Inc. The company claims it got it from another company and is fighting Krawczyk's lawsuit.

Obtaining information about shelf corporation laws and regulations can help you determine if purchasing aged shelf corporations is a wise investment for you. Owning a shelf corporation identity can help business owners demonstrate longevity which could in turn improve their image with clients and lenders.

Shelf companies are corporations or limited liability companies that have been in existence for a long period of time with no business activity. Because purchasers can legally claim the time that a shelf company has been in existence as their own, purchasing a shelf corporation can help a business owner establish immediate corporation history. To learn more about shelf corporation laws and regulations, you should:

1. Conduct shelf corporation research.

2. Learn more about purchasing aged corporations.

3. Find a list of shelf corporations.

Action Steps
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Go online to find out more about shelf companies

Shelf companies are aged publicly held corporations that file their annual and quarterly reports so that they can remain in good standing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Internal Revenue Service. Other than this, aged shelf companies are dormant and have active business activities. They can be sold to buyers who want to have a publicly traded company without all of the associated process fees. Buyers can choose to roll a new venture into an existing company or change the name of the shelf company to fit your business needs. While the business license may be new, the company will still have a pre-established history.

I recommend: Learn more about aged corporations by checking out Small-Business-Accounting-Guide.com. You can also check out the Nevada Corporate Office to learn more about shelf companies.

Establish company history quickly with a shelf corp

The age of a company can sometimes determine whether it will be eligible to bid on projects and qualify for loans and business credit. There are various benefits associated with purchased aged corporations. Business owners can establish company history, bid on projects that require a company to be well-established for a specified number of years and have a better chance of obtaining business credit and loans.

I recommend: Find out more about purchasing a shelf corp by visiting American Incorporators. You can also obtain information about a shelf corporation business by checking out Companies Incorporated.

Obtain a listing of shelf corporations

There is a range of aged corporations available in a variety of industries. Most listings will provide you with the cost of the shelf company, the date the company was established, the type of business entity and details about the type of services the company was established to provide.

I recommend: Check out a list provided by SmallBiz.com. You may also visit the Law Offices of Jonas M. Grant to obtain a list of aged corporations for sale.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It's critical that business owners looking to purchase aged corporations conduct their due diligence to ensure that the company was not involved in criminal or unethical practices for which they could be held accountable as the new owner.

A shelf corporation (or aged corporation) is a corporation that has been previously established. This type of corporation gets its name from the idea of the abandoned business being put on a shelf until a new owner buys it. Shelf corporations are legal and can benefit the new owner in many ways. A shelf corporation helps to establish credit faster and can potentially turn a quicker profit, because it does not take a long time to re-establish the corporation with the state.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Liability

Liability is an obligation or responsibility a business must complete. In shelf corporations, there may be an existing liability on a contract, especially from those with the government. This liability can help the company continue to establish credit.

I recommend: Companies Incorporated provides a list of additional benefits for choosing a shelf corporation, including the increased liability for certain contracts.

Registered agent

A registered agent is a person designated to file and receive paperwork during the process of creating or buying a corporation. The registered agent is responsible for accepting all documents at a single address during business hours.

I recommend: InCorp provides answers to frequently asked questions about registered agents and using registered agents to create or buy a corporation.

Business credit

Business credit is the financial standing of a company. Since most shelf corporations have already been established and shelved without any existing liabilities, purchasing a shelf corporation gives the new owners instant business credit.

I recommend: Shelf Corporation Search provides information on how a shelf corporation can help to establish credit quickly and provide businesses with a good head start.

Beneficial owners

The beneficial owners of a shelf corporation are the owners that have a financial interest in the business. These are the people that will benefit when the business makes a profit.

I recommend: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides information on how profits for beneficial owners are paid and taxed.

Secretary of State

The Office of the Secretary of State where the business is located accepts articles of incorporation for a new or established business.

I recommend: The California Secretary of State provides the documents necessary to be filed in that state to purchase a shelf corporation, reinstate the articles in the new owner's name and any amendments needed to the original company's documents.

Articles of incorporation

The articles of incorporation are any documents related to the creation or purchase of a corporation. These are the documents a registered agent must handle throughout the application process.

I recommend: Global Software & Computer Solution Centers provides a list of documentation that needs to be filed after purchasing a shelf corporation.