Harvard Business Services is popular among entrepreneurs. But figuring out if it’s a good fit for your business would require you to research extensively or try it out, otherwise they might not be compatible with your budget or your business.
In this review, our team has researched everything to know about the LLC formation service process to help your decision-making.
Pros
- Free trial for a year of registered agent service
- Ongoing compliance notifications and coaching
- Bilingual and reliable customer service with customer support throughout the life of the company.
- Free name availability check
- High customer reviews and ratings
- Quick formation package with an option to expedite formation process and file on the same day
- Available to entrepreneurs worldwide
- Economic plans filled with basic creation needs when forming an LLC
Cons
- No legal advice or attorney support for domestic or international customers
- Form an LLC only in Delaware
Is your business in a state other than Delaware? We recommend ZenBusiness.
Harvard Business Services Features
Experience and History
Harvard Business Services has formed over 244,755 LLCs and corporations since it was founded in 1981. Initially, it helped form businesses for entrepreneurs that were only in Delaware. But by 1994, it grew to satisfy global demand. Four decades after its inception, Harvard Business Services now gets over 50% of its business formation from referrals and returning clients.
The company, led by Michael Bell, provides personal business formation services as a key aspect of its culture. Its headquarters is in Lewes, Delaware, and the company is not affiliated with Harvard University.
Packages and Pricing
To start off our Harvard Business Services review, our team will first examine the quality of their offers.
Like other LLC services such as Nolo.com, Harvard Business Services offers three pricing options for business owner/owners, and they all include Delaware’s state filing fee. The LLC service has recently offered discounts on these packages, and there are no hiding charges or features. Also, the price is guaranteed not to increase over the life of your company.
The Green Package is the most economical plan, and everything in its setup is digital. From our review of Harvard Business Services, our experts discovered it is suitable for entrepreneurs who want the basic LLC formation services. When business owners opt for the Green package, the LLC formation package service provides name availability check.
Name availability check means Harvard Business Services will assist in confirming whether another provider hasn’t claimed your business name by going through Delaware’s databases.
Also, this package comes with a free year of registered agent service of Harvard Business Services. Like other Business Services or formation service, Harvard Business Services will handle the preparation and filing of articles of organization in the state of Delaware. The company also provides a digital copy of the form and a certificate of incorporation if you go for its Green package.
Compliance notifications and coaching are included in this package. While all LLCs have to pay taxes in Delaware, some businesses need to file annual reports. If you go for the Green package, the company will remind you of the legal steps you need to take and when you should do so.
It’ll also offer you customer support if you miss some deadlines. In addition, these notifications are free. Lastly, the package comes with a complimentary digital copy of the seal that will include your company’s name on it.
The Basic package of Harvard Business Service, is the plan for entrepreneurs who want to form one LLC now and more later. This plan includes everything in the Green package plus templates.
You’ll get sample documents that LLCs and corporations often use. These include templates for a banking resolution form, LLC operating agreements, and a membership form or stock certification.
If you opt for the Basic package, Harvard Business Services will also provide a hard-copy of any form or your formation sample documents. The company sends priority mails and company alerts if you want this feature.
With the Standard Package, you get everything in the Basic package plus an LLC kit and seal. This kit includes a gold-embossed binder with your business’s name on it. It also contains a guidebook, more document templates, a transfer ledge for tracking ownership, and a meeting book. The seal is a fold-up style embosser with vinyl casing.
The Standard package includes everything for entrepreneurs who want to form an LLC and have the corporate kit they need to conduct business. While you can opt for any plan, the Standard package costs more for international business owner/owners than domestic entrepreneurs.
They also come with a certificate of formation and notary services to ensure compliance. If you’re just start out on forming an LLC then this standard package Harvard Business Service provides might be your best choice. However, you may explore more about the different add-ons and features of each package Harvard lay out – just make sure that you get want you pay for.
When forming an LLC, our experts found out that Harvard Business Services provides the following add-ons.
- Obtain a Federal Tax ID (EIN): Every LLC with employees needs an EIN[1] to conduct business in the United States. Harvard Business Services can process your business’s EIN with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Order a certificate of good standing: This is proof of compliance with the laws in Delaware.
- Change business name: Based on our Harvard Business Services review, the company will process your business’s name-change with the IRS. It will also amend all records for a fee when you form an llc. Harvard Business Service, always offers name availability check to determine if you have a unique business name.
- Obtain business license: Depending on your business’s nature, the company can also process Delaware-issued licenses.
- File foreign qualification: Harvard Business Services will help your business to operate in other US states other than where it was incorporated.
Being one of the leading LLC service providers, it offers a refund for any package. However, you have to request one before it’s sent to the state and within 30 days of paying the fees. Also, getting a refund isn’t free. You have to pay a 5% processing fee to cancel your order.
When you cancel your order, you’ll need to return physical items like templates or the Deluxe corporate kit within seven days. You can’t get a refund for hard-copies of the forms you filled, regardless of the pricing option you pick.
Harvard Business Services Turnaround Time
Harvard Business Services’ representatives state that the time it takes for incorporation or handling when you form an LLC or form a business in Delaware depending significantly on the state. However, the company offers different turnaround times depending on its LLC packages on formation service.
First, the team states that it will file your formation documents the same day it receives them, as long as everything checks out. Similar to Swyft Fillings LLC formation, the company also offers expedited formation process on the same day for an extra fee if you submit your documents before 1 pm Eastern Time (ET).
If you pick the Green and Standard packages, it can take 3 to 5 business days to receive your documents. However, during the holiday season, this time could fluctuate between 7 to 10 days because of the state backlog.
In contrast, if you choose the Basic package, it’ll take 4 to 6 business days to receive your documents through your US mail. The deluxe kit, corporate seal, and hard-copy documents are sent through FedEx.
Ease of Use
Harvard Business Services has a simple ordering formation process for its LLC formation packages and additional services. First, you’ll be prompted to fill in your business’s details (like your name, tel. number, etc.) and that of your registered agent service. Before placing the order, you’ll also get an upsell to obtain an EIN with Harvard Business Services.
Even though it is one of the most established online incorporation service providers, the incorporation interface isn’t excellent, and it uses a different domain name than ‘Harvard Business Services Inc.’ However, it is functional and good enough to navigate. From our review, you can translate the incorporation website into Spanish.
Registered Agent Service
From our review of Harvard Business Services, you need a Delaware registered agent to conduct business in the state. This entity will receive and send documents and act as your communications contact.
Unlike Better Legal Services, Harvard Business Services offers registered agent service in Delaware for a year, regardless of the package you opt for. After the first free year, you can pay a fee to continue receiving this service or opt for another provider’s excellent registered agent services.
Harvard Business Services can also act as a registered agent in another state. Since the company has no physical location outside Delaware, this fee is higher than at its headquarters.
Harvard Business Services Customer Support
According to our review, the LLC service provider has one of the great customer support services similar to the service support provided by SunDoc Filings. You can reach out through email or call the team with the phone number listed on the webpage.
Alternatively, you can contact the customer service representatives through Skype or use the live chat to find any information you need. Domestic phone calls are toll-free.
Harvard Business Services customer service team is available from 9 am to 5 pm on business days, regardless of the contact platform you use. From our review, its specialists are customer-focused and willing to help you get the information you want. They answer calls within two to ten minutes, and if you send an email by dawn, you’ll have a reply by midday or the end of business hours.
Some agents can help you get the information you want about its LLC features if you speak Spanish. Generally, both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking representatives are friendly and good in explaining.
Customer Reviews
Harvard Business Services has gathered thousands of great customer reviews since it was founded. While some are on customer reviews sites like TrustPilot, you can find more information and feedback on social media platforms and search engines like Google.
Generally, there has been excellent customer feedback about this provider. Harvard Business Services reviews show that most entrepreneurs are happy with the knowledgeable customer service agents and its registered agent service. Harvard Business Services’ negative reviews are primarily its upselling for you to get a good deal from an additional service.
Harvard Business Services Inc. is accredited and has 5 stars on Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Harvard Business Services Alternatives
- LegalZoom
LegalZoom and Harvard Business Services are leading LLC service providers in the US with similar features and a few differences. On pricing, Harvard Business Services’ packages are a tad cheaper than LegalZoom. However, you can’t use this provider if you want to form a business in Delaware or form LLCs outside the state of Delaware, which is a feature LegalZoom allows. While Harvard Business Services has more experience and higher customer ratings, LegalZoom offers more tracking tools for your order, and it’s easier to use.
In the end, our experts view that LegalZoom offers helpful LLC formation service features, but most of them go for additional fees. For example, its registered agent service is an add-on that the company will upsell to you.
- BizFilings
BizFilings is another competitor with exciting business services for entrepreneurs looking to form an LLC with the best provider. Harvard Business Services has a faster turnaround time, but it doesn’t offer order tracking features like that of BizFilings. Still, Harvard Business Services offers cheaper pricing, even with its expedited requests and additional fees.
Compared to the free registered agent service Harvard Business Services offers for a year, BizFilings can act as your registered agent, free for six months. However, our team found out that BizFilings has helped more entrepreneurs get a new business than Harvard Business Services. The fact is BizFilings has useful offerings, but Harvard Business Services’ pricing and plans are more attractive to business owners and entrepreneurs.
FAQ
Is Harvard Business Services legit?
Harvard Business Services LLC is legit. The LLC formation service has its headquarters in Delaware and has been helping businesses since 1981. Within that period, it has formed over 200,000 LLCs. There are customer reviews on BBB, TrustPilot, and Google to verify its reputation as one of the best.
Harvard Business Services Review Conclusion
If you want to form an LLC in Delaware, we would rate 5 stars for Harvard Business Services LLC as it provides a good deal. With fast turnaround time and essential business services, our experts recognize it as one of the best LLC formation services. But its excellent customer service, lifetime customer support, and good reviews are its advantage over other LLC service providers.
