NE Business Facts
Nebraska’s largest livestock product is beef, with about 19,000 cattle ranches feeding their cows grass before delivering to feed lots for the state’s trademark corn-fed beef. The Cornhusker State counts corn production as its leading crop and ranks third among the nation’s corn-producing states. Its “Golden Triangle” of livestock, corn, and ethanol production drives a thriving industry that also ranks high in grains purchased by distilleries.
Major Companies Headquartered in Nebraska
Nebraska is the headquarters of many major companies including Berkshire Hathaway, Union Pacific, Home Instead Senior Care, Nebraska.gov, and Nebraska Medicine.
Startup Environment
Startup businesses in Nebraska are currently on the rise. The low cost of doing business and the business-friendly environment are two of the contributing factors to this development. At 2.9%, the unemployment rate in Nebraska in 2017 was considered the lowest in the United States.
There are 3 basic options: a DBA, a Corporation or an LLC. Click here to learn more about business entities.
Choosing a business name is easier said than done – many legal and business problems can arise from picking the wrong name (you can always change it later but the less times you have to do that the better). In Step 3 we’ll show you how to search for the name in Arizona, but we highly recommend you do the following before searching Arizona state databases:
Tip: Search misspellings, plurals, variations of spelling, sound-alikes and other versions of your chosen name to be sure it’s not already registered.
NOTE: Familiarize yourself with the Nebraska naming guidelines. LLC entity names need to contain the words Limited Liability Company or the abbreviation LLC, and certain words are restricted or prohibited.
Restrictions on Nebraska Business Name & Business Purpose
Each state has its own requirements for registering a business. Now that you’ve chosen a business structure and selected your business name, here are the requirements to register your business in Nebraska.
How to form an LLC in Nebraska
How to Incorporate in Nebraska
NOTE: When registering a new company the Secretary of State can take several weeks to file the paperwork. You can expedite the process by hand delivering the documents directly to them or one of their field offices and paying an additional fee.
TIP: Check our order form to see how long Nebraska is currently taking to process regular and expedited orders.
How to File a DBA in Nebraska
Considerations when registering a Nebraska business
Ready to register a business in Nebraska?
Sure, you could do all the steps above or you could spend 5-10 minutes on our order form and let us take care of it while you work on more important things.
Your EIN is like your Social Security Number for your company. It’s required for Corporations and LLC’s and optional for DBA’s (if you don’t have any employees, then it’s required). However, if you are a DBA and don’t obtain an EIN you will be forced to use your Social Security Number on many documents so it’s typically recommended you obtain the EIN to prevent identity theft.
To obtain an EIN you can apply online with the IRS or via IRS Form SS-4.
TIP: We will obtain your EIN for you if you we form your company.
To keep business and personal expenses separate, you should open a separate account for your business. In addition, getting business credit cards is how you begin to build a company credit profile (corporation or LLC required) and can later qualify for larger loans and lines of credit. To open the account simply call your chosen bank and inquire on the steps to open a business bank account. Typically you’ll need a) your filed paperwork, b) your EIN and c) a company resolution authorizing your company to open the account (signed by the owners, members, officers or directors, etc.).
Top 5 Major Banks in Nebraska
TIP: Our business formation service includes a free banking resolution for your use.
Setup your Accounting and Record-keeping system and learn about the taxes your new company is responsible for paying.
Company documents generally are required to be kept for 3 years, including: a list of all owners and addresses, copies of all formation documents, financial statements, annual reports, amendments or changes to the company. All Tax and Corporate Filings should be kept for at least 3 years. View our “Accounting & Financial Management” section for help with setting up an accounting system and purchasing accounting software.
To keep business and personal expenses separate, you should open a separate account for your business. In addition, getting business credit cards is how you begin to build a company credit profile (corporation or LLC required) and can later qualify for larger loans and lines of credit. To open the account simply call your chosen bank and inquire on the steps to open a business bank account. Typically you’ll need a) your filed paperwork, b) your EIN and c) a company resolution authorizing your company to open the account (signed by the owners, members, officers or directors, etc.).
Top 5 Major Banks in Nebraska
TIP: Our business formation service includes a free banking resolution for your use.
If you intend to hire yourself or others as a full or part-time employee of your company, then you may have to register with the appropriate State Agencies or obtain Workers Compensation Insurance or Unemployment Insurance (or both). View our “Employees & Payroll” section for help with hiring employees and processing payroll.
There are many types of insurance for businesses but they are usually packaged as “General Business Insurance” or a “Business Owner’s Policy”. This can cover everything from product liability to company vehicles. A decent policy can run as little as $300/year and offers a great extra level of protection. Click here to view our preferred provider of business insurance online.
Prepare the business as if someone needed to take it over and run it for you. This means have a method to process orders, pay bills, pay employees, pay taxes, maintain your permits, etc. Basically, try to make the operational aspect of the business as automated and efficient as possible so you can concentrate on growing your business. View our “Manage Your Company” section for help with systemizing and automating your business.
Now that you’ve set-up the company for success, you need to get the word out. Create a marketing plan for your products and services that targets your ideal customer. View our “Marketing & Sales” section for help for more information.
DBA: Your Fictitious Business Name should be valid for 5 years (unless you change company name or other information listed on the FBN) at which point you’ll need to renew it with the county.
LLC: Nebraska corporations are required to file a Periodic Report with the Nebraska Secretary of State on or before April 1 every odd year, in addition to general taxation. The filing fee is $13. Information on your business’ taxes can be found here.
Corporation: Business in Nebraska should file a report on or before March 1 every even year with the Secretary of State of Nebraska. The filing fee is $29.
Business Services Division (for Corporation and LLC filings)
Corporate, P.O. Box 94608,
Lincoln, NE 68509-4608
Metro Area Phone: (402) 471-4079
Nebraska Taxation Departments
Nebraska Labor and Employment Departments
Nebraska Startup Resources
1. Small Business Administration (SBA) Nebraska District Offices
2. SCORE Nebraska
3. Nebraska Legal Statutes
4. Nebraska Chambers of Commerce
5. USA.gov
6. Angel.co Nebraska Startups
7. Nebraska Business News
8. DED
9. Nebraska Small Business Development Center
10. Cleaner Greener Lincoln
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