The internet loves to tell you to form your LLC in Delaware or Wyoming. For most small businesses, that advice quietly costs money.
The contenders
- Your home state - simplest and usually cheapest if you operate there.
- Wyoming - low fees, strong privacy, no state income tax.
- Delaware - founder-friendly courts; overkill unless you're raising venture capital.
The common mistake
Registering out of state doesn't exempt you from your home state's rules - you'll often have to register there anyway as a "foreign LLC," paying twice. Unless you have a specific reason, form where you actually do business.