Which of the following must take place for a corporation to be voluntarily dissolved

Dissolving a corporation is more complex than forming one. But like all things corporate, it's as easy as knowing and following the correct procedure.

Which of the following must take place for a corporation to be voluntarily dissolved

Just as you would file Articles of Incorporation to start your corporate entity and to bring it into existence, you must also file Articles of Dissolution (also known as a Certificate of Dissolution) to notify the state that you are terminating or dissolving the corporation. Some simple steps on how to dissolve a corporation are outlined below.

How to Close a Corporation

Closing a corporation and winding up business operations is known as "dissolution," and the process requires several steps.

Often, the aid of a lawyer or the assistance of a tax professional is helpful.

Certainly, you may informally dissolve a company by ceasing all business action. However, this option is not the best (or even the only option), because it opens you to potential lawsuits and later liability.

Do not presume that the corporation is ended upon your halting of business operations. Legally speaking, the corporation continues to exist as a business entity regardless of whether or not you continue to conduct business operations.

Keep in mind, the State continues to expect the corporation to fulfill and to comply with all legal requirements until the time that the corporation has been dissolved formally.

Steps to Dissolving a Corporation or Obtaining a Corporate Dissolution

Dissolving a corporation successfully takes several key steps. Such requirements may vary across the fifty states. Generally, it is recommended that business owners get legal assistance to file the necessary documents with the proper state agencies.

1. Call a Board Meeting

Once you have decided to close the operations of a corporation, it is recommended that you hold a Board of Director's meeting to formally move to dissolve the corporation. A vote must be taken and the minutes of the meeting must be recorded and retained in the records of the corporation.

Once the vote to dissolve has been approved by the Board of Directors, it must also be approved by a majority of the corporation shareholders (if there are shareholders). In certain states, a two-thirds vote is required to constitute a majority of shareholder approval. A majority of shareholders must approve of the intended dissolution and their vote represents their formal approval for dissolution.

The precise number of shareholders required to be considered a majority differs in each state. The written agreement seeking dissolution and signed by all owners of the corporation must be completed before a request for dissolution will be approved by the Secretary of State.

2. File a Certificate of Dissolution With the Secretary of State

You can contact the Office of the Secretary of State in the state in which your company is incorporated to obtain the necessary forms required to file an official Certificate of Dissolution with the government agency or you can file the paperwork online.

Most states have an Incorporation Bureau or a similarly designated agency that regulates incorporation. It may be called a Corporation Commission or Corporation Agency. You may even find the Incorporation Bureau in your state listed online.

3. Notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Once you sign and file the dissolution forms with the state agency, you should next notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to inform the agency your intended company dissolution.

It is important to pay all taxes due, both to the state and to the federal government in order to obtain a "consent to dissolution" or a "tax clearance." Generally, these forms are required by the Office of the Secretary of State to obtain formal dissolution of a corporation. On the state and local tax return documents, mark the box, "Final Return."

4. Close Accounts and Credit Lines, Cancel Licenses, Etc.

Do not forget to close all bank accounts, credit lines, and service accounts held in your corporate or business name. You will want to terminate all licenses, permits, and/or permits for fictitious name too.

Finally, be sure you notify all customers and vendors about your corporation’s dissolution.

If you undertake each step properly, you will successfully close your corporation.

Overview

How to File

  • Complete and file the Certificate of Dissolution with the Department of State.
  • The completed Certificate of Dissolution, together with the required consent attached, and the statutory filing fee of $60 should be forwarded to:
    • New York Department of State, Division of Corporations, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231.
  • Please Note: The Certificate of Dissolution requires the consent of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The telephone number, fax number, and address where you can call or write to request the consent is as follows:
    • New York State Tax DepartmentCorporation Tax Dissolution Unit, Building 8, Room 958W. A. Harriman CampusAlbany, NY 12227
    • Telephone number: (518) 485-2639; Fax number: (518) 435-2995

Filing Instructions

Instructions for Completing the Certificate of Dissolution Form

All entries and signatures should be typewritten or printed in black ink on white paper. Avoid small or light type or outline or condensed fonts.

Paragraph First - Name of Corporation

  • Enter the exact current name of the corporation on the line in:
    • the certificate’s title (top of first page);
    • Paragraph First;
    • the title of the certificate on the last page of the form.
      • The exact name of the corporation may be found on the New York Department of State’s website, or by writing or calling the New York Department of State at (518) 473-2492. The exact name of the corporation can also be found on the New York Department of State Filing Receipt for the corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or for a Certificate of Amendment filed to change the name of the corporation, or on copies of such certificates.
      • The name of the corporation must be exactly the same in all three places, including punctuation, spacing, etc. Do not abbreviate or make other changes to the name.
  • If the name of the corporation has been changed, the Certificate of Dissolution must include the original name of the corporation on the line provided. The name must appear exactly as it appears in the original certificate of incorporation.


Paragraph Second - Date of Incorporation

  • Provide the exact date (month, day and year) that the certificate of incorporation was filed by the New York Department of State.
  • The exact date of incorporation may be found on the New York Department of State’s website, or by writing or calling the New York Department of State at (518) 473-2492. The exact date of incorporation can also be found on the New York Department of State Filing Receipt issued by the New York Department of State when the corporation was formed.


Paragraph Third - Names and Addresses of Officers and Directors

  • Provide the name and address of each officer and director of the corporation.


Paragraph Fourth - Manner of Authorization

  • The Certificate of Dissolution must include the manner in which the dissolution was authorized. This form includes three common methods of authorization. If one of these methods is applicable to your corporation, check the appropriate statement. Do not use this form if the dissolution was authorized by an alternative manner. In all cases, review Business Corporation Law sections 1001 and 1002 to determine the correct manner of authorization of dissolution.


Paragraph Fifth- Election to Dissolve

  • The Certificate of Dissolution contains a statement that the corporation elects to dissolve. Do not modify this paragraph. Do not indicate an effective date of dissolution.

Signing the Certificate of Dissolution

  • The Certificate of Dissolution must be signed by an officer, director or authorized person of the corporation. The signer’s name and title must be typed or printed. The Certificate of Dissolution may also be signed by an attorney-in-fact for an individual authorized to sign the certificate. If the Certificate of Dissolution is signed by an attorney-in-fact, include the name and title of the person on whose behalf the attorney-in-fact is acting.

Backer (last page)

  1. Enter the exact name of the corporation in the certificate’s title on the last page.
  2. Enter the name and address of the filer of the Certificate of Dissolution.

Attach Consent of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

  • Written consent of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance must be attached to the Certificate of Dissolution when it is submitted to the New York Department of State for filing.
    • To request consent for dissolution:
      • Call the automated processing system to request at (518) 485-2639; or
      • Fax a written request to (518) 435-2995


Do not mail the Certificate of Dissolution and $60 filing fee to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Additional information may be found on the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance’s website at www.tax.ny.gov.

Consent of the New York City Commissioner of Finance

  • Consent of the New York City Commissioner of Finance must be attached to the Certificate of Dissolution if the corporation has done business in and incurred tax liability to the City of New York.
  • To obtain consent, contact:
    •  New York City Department of Finance, Collections Division, Vendor/Tax Clearance Unit, 59 Maiden Lane, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10038.
  • Additional information is available with New York City Department of Finance.

New York Department of State Filing Receipt

  • The New York Department of State issues an official filing receipt to the filer of the Certificate of Dissolution. The filing receipt indicates the date of filing, the name of the corporation and an accounting of the fees paid. Filers should verify that this information is correct. The filing receipt is proof of filing. The New York Department of State does not issue duplicate filing receipts to replace those lost or destroyed.

Fees

$60 filing fee for Certificate of Dissolution.

All fees must be paid by cash, check, money order, MasterCard, Visa or American Express.

  • To pay for a fee using your credit card or debit card, complete and sign the Credit Card/Debit Card Authorization Form and submit it to the Division of Corporations with your request for service.
  • Checks and money orders should be made payable to the “Department of State.” Please do not send cash through the mail.  All checks over $500 must be certified.

Expedited Processing

  • Expedited Handling Services: (optional) The NYS Department of State's Division of Corporations offers expedited processing of time-sensitive documents. For an additional fee, the Department of State will process a document within the following time frames for the additional fee indicated; $25.00 per document for processing within 24 hours, $75.00 per document for processing within the same day, or $150.00 per document for processing within 2 hours.
  • The additional, non-refundable fee for expedited processing service must be paid by a separate check or money order or indicated in the appropriate space on the Credit Card/Debit Card Authorization Form.
    • The Division of Corporations accepts MasterCard, Visa and American Express for the payment of fees. To pay for a fee using your credit card or debit card, simply complete and sign the Credit Card/Debit Card Authorization Form and submit it to the Division of Corporations with your request for service.
    • The Credit Card/Debit Card Authorization Form submitted with any request for services must specifically indicate the level of expedited service requested.
    • The envelope bearing documents for filing and other requests for expedited processing services must be marked with the notation "Expedited Processing" on the envelope.

Additional Information

  • The name of the corporation and its date of incorporation provided on this certificate must exactly match the records of the Department of State. This information should be verified on the Department of State’s website.
  • When the Corporation will be Dissolved
    • The corporation will be dissolved and its existence ended on the date the Certificate of Dissolution is filed by the New York Department of State. The Business Corporation Law does not permit the effective date of dissolution to be other than the date of filing of the Certificate of Dissolution by the New York Department of State.

Contact Division of Corporations, State Records and Uniform Commercial Code

What are the ways a corporation can be dissolved voluntarily?

Depending upon the circumstances or the corporate bylaws, voluntary dissolution can be initiated by shareholder action, by action initiated by the board of directors, or where no directors are in place by the incorporators. Generally, the decision to dissolve a corporation rests with the corporation's shareholders.

What does voluntarily dissolved mean?

Voluntary dissolution means the shareholders or owners have voted and decided to close the business. To complete a voluntary dissolution, the company will wind up operations, liquidate assets, pay creditors and taxes, and distribute any remaining assets to owners.

Which of the following is the first step in the voluntary termination process of a corporation?

Dissolution is the first step in the termination process is to dissolve the LLC.

When a corporation is dissolved voluntarily The corporation must notify its creditors of the dissolution?

Under Sections 14.06 and 14.07 of the Revised Model Business Corporation Act, a dissolved corporation must provide written notice of the dissolution to its creditors. The notice must state a deadline, which must be at least 120 days after the notice, for receipt of creditors' claims.