How to Start a Business in Indiana the Right Way – Before You Register Anything, Talk to a CPA
Before you file anything with the Indiana Secretary of State, your entity structure decision will shape how you’re taxed for years. This post breaks down the real cost of starting a business in Indiana in 2025 – including LLC filing fees ($100), corporation fees ($90), and Indiana’s corporate tax rate of 4.9%. The S-corp election window is just 75 days from formation, and missing it means overpaying self-employment tax for a full year. A detailed comparison of LLC, S-Corp, and sole proprietorship structures shows exactly where each option wins and fails, plus a side-by-side table comparing Indiana to Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. An action plan walks through every step from CPA consultation to Indiana Department of Revenue registration. Common mistakes – like skipping the S-corp election or missing the biennial report – are called out directly with how to avoid them. A pre-CPA meeting checklist helps new owners prepare. Six FAQ answers cover costs, deadlines, tax obligations, and structure decisions in plain language. The core message: the filing fee is cheap; the tax consequences of getting the structure wrong are not.
