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Business formationSeptember 2, 2025 · 5 min read
Opening a U.S. company: the order of operations
State registration, EIN, ITIN, bank account, bookkeeping. Doing these out of order is what causes months of delay.
Step by step - Choose the state and entity type based on where you actually operate, not on what is cheapest to register. - Register the entity and get the formation documents. - Apply for the EIN, the company's federal tax ID. - If you do not have a Social Security Number, start the ITIN process. As an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent, we certify your documents so your passport never leaves your hands. - Open the business bank account with the formation documents and EIN. - Start bookkeeping in month one, not in April.
The mistake we correct most Opening the bank account before the EIN, or filing the first tax return before anyone set up the books. Both are fixable, both are slower and more expensive than doing them in order.
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