Harbor Compliance LLC Service Review

Starting a company looks easy on paper but it requires more than an idea. You also have to understand what the New York state requires from you to form an LLC. If you fill in the wrong information or make a mistake, you have to pay the filing fee once again and start the process from scratch. This back and forth can be frustrating, time consuming and cost incurring. That’s why many people delegate this task to experts who not only offer formation but also representation services. We have discussed Harbor Compliance LLC review, enabling you to decide whether this is the best decision for you.

Introduction

Harbor Compliance is relatively new in the industry, having started back in 2012. In the almost decade of its operation, it has served tens of thousands of businesses, helping people bring their dreams to life in a few simple steps. To differentiate itself from other providers in the industry, it offers premium services. All its clients get an agent assigned to them such that they do not have to wait in line when making queries. Also, it becomes easier to get personalized service because you will not get one-size-fits-all customer support. Let’s look at what else has made this formation service provider stand out from the rest in its years of operation:

Is Harbor Compliance Legit?

Harbor Compliance was founded in 2012 by a group of government licensing professionals. The company is headquartered in Pennsylvania, Lancaster. It employs only experienced lawyers and financiers. Still, the agency positions itself as specializing in providing compliance solutions. However, Harbor Compliance does not provide legal, tax, or accounting advice.

Over the years, this firm has helped more than 25,000 enterprises, including LLCs, corporations, and non-profit organizations in any of the U.S. states start operating. Their experts assist in setting up a business in strict compliance with all state regulations, obtaining necessary licenses and permits, submitting reports, and meeting other legal requirements promptly.

Harbor Compliance: Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Full service	Pricing policy for business formation services
Free registered agent services for one year
Excellent reviews
Premium customer support
High-quality and informative website
The system of discounts for wholesale customers

Advantages

Full Service

Harbor Compliance offers one of the most comprehensive services in all states. The company’s experts have in-depth knowledge of each state’s laws and are ready to successfully launch a business of any complexity as quickly as possible.

Many entrepreneurs choose it if they need to start a venture requiring additional licensing and other permits. The plan also includes the service of publishing a notice in a newspaper, which is required by New York State, Arizona, and Nebraska. Other companies do not add this service to their packages.

Free Registered Agent Services For One Year

Registered agent services are available for free for one year as part of the Harbor Compliance packages. After that, the price will be $99 per year. According to the terms of the company’s work, you can cancel the services of a registered agent at any time but with the obligatory condition of choosing another one beforehand.

Excellent Reviews

Despite its relatively short track record, Harbor Compliance has a very good reputation. It has a 4.5/5 rating on Google Reviews. And the BBB service gives Harbor Compliance an A+ rating.

Customers appreciate the professionalism of the firm’s employees, and many people have been working with Harbor Compliance for years. There are also negative comments but their number is insignificant, and the agency always responds to them. The problems usually arise because people do not understand the essence of the services they order and expect more than the package provides.

Premium Customer Support

Each client is assigned an individual consultant who will work with the business owner during the entire period of cooperation. You can call them directly at any time, and they will provide you with professional advice and help you solve your current problems.

High-Quality and Informative Website

Their website contains a large information section with a wide list of educational resources that include templates of necessary and useful business documents, helpful articles and guides on how to build a business on your own, webinar recordings, and much more.

The System of Discounts for Wholesale Customers

If you establish a business in more than one state, you will become a wholesale customer and can enjoy discounts. It is especially advantageous when you order the registered agent service. The price of $99 a year is considered a bargain compared to some rivals, and the additional discount allows you to both save money and work with one company at the same time.

Disadvantages

Harbor Compliance has many strengths but it also has a significant drawback.

Pricing Policy for Business Formation Services

It provides two service packages for starting a new venture:

• Formation: $399;
• Compliance: $799.

On the one hand, they cover everything you need, including starting a business in complex cases. On the other hand, many competitors charge significantly less for similar packages. Still, if you compare them to the services of lawyers providing assistance in establishing a company, these plans will turn out to be profitable.

Harbor Compliance: Contact Information

Phone	1-888-995-5895
Fax	1-717-202-2576
Email	info@harborcompliance.com
Website	harborcompliance.com
The company’s address	1830 Colonial Village Lane Lancaster, PA 17601

Harbor Compliance: Customer Service

You can reach their representatives using any of these communication channels during normal operating hours. The company’s specialists answer the phone and process written inquiries in the shortest possible time.

Unlike many other agencies offering automatic online registration and subsequent cooperation through a personal account, Harbor Compliance assigns an individual consultant to each client. You will get contacts of the expert for direct communication, as well as the first consultation for free. The personal assistant will help you understand what type of organization you need, what additional services you may require, and how much it will cost.

The help of a professional expert at all stages is a big plus. Many customers mention the names of their consultants in their reviews and thank them for their professionalism and responsiveness.

Comparison with Other Companies

Harbor Compliance may be the best solution if the state requires you to have complex compliance systems or a large list of documents. This company will also fit you if you prefer personalized service and have a good budget. Nonetheless, many competitors are much more reasonably priced and may work better for you.

Northwest Registered Agent vs Harbor Compliance

Northwest Registered Agent is one of the well-known services that help businessmen launch new entities. If you compare it to Harbor Compliance, you can see that each firm has its own strengths:

• Northwest Registered Agent is more advantageous for those starting a business as their flat rate is $225 and includes free registered agent services for one year;
• Harbor Compliance offers better agent services for $99 a year compared to the $125 that Northwest Registered Agent charges for similar services;
• The support at Harbor Compliance is better, although the Northwest Registered Agent also provides professional assistance;
• Northwest Registered Agent has been in business since 1998, while Harbor Compliance has been running since 2012.

Check out our Northwest Registered Agent vs Harbor Compliance review for a more in-depth comparison.

ZenBusiness vs Harbor Compliance

When choosing between Harbor Compliance and ZenBusiness, you should prefer the first one only when you face some complicated cases or you need various documents and permits. Otherwise, ZenBusiness is more cost-effective:

• Their experience is almost the same;
• ZenBusiness has much more reviews, but these firms don’t differ much from each other according to their overall rating on customer review websites;
• Registration deadlines of some packages from ZenBusiness are longer but customer comments say that there are no more than 2-3 days difference between the companies;
• The customer service at Harbor Compliance is beyond comparison. ZenBusiness does not provide an individual assistant but consultants are available even on weekends.

You can learn more in the ZenBusiness vs Harbor Compliance review.

Harbor Compliance vs IncFile

When comparing these providers, the main choice is between price and premium customer support:

• IncFile offers a basic plan for $0, while Harbor Compliance services start at $399;
• The IncFile packages include tax advice which Harbor Compliance does not. However, the latter offers assistance in obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and publishing a notice in a newspaper;
• IncFile has been operating since 2003, and Harbor Compliance entered the business world in 2012;
• The processing time in both companies is almost identical;
• The registered agent services at Harbor Compliance are more favorable than that at IncFile – $99 vs $119.

Read more about these firms in our Harbor Compliance vs IncFile article.

Harbor Compliance LLC Packages

With most top-rated LLC services, you will find that clients often have a choice based on the features they would like to enjoy. In this case, you have two options:

Formation

For this, you pay $399, which is exclusive of the state filing fees in your region. You get:

• Name Search: You want to make sure that the name you have chosen is available for use and also acceptable by the state. The site will check this for you by running the name against millions in the database. Once you know the name is okay, you can move forward instead of being halfway done with the processes only to realize that you have to start again.
• Registration Documents: You will not have to figure out what to include in your registration documents. Instead, a specialist will collect the information needed, fill it in the documents and submit them to the authorities on your behalf. It is one of the main reasons people use such services. It not only reduces the time spent on the process but also the money. Plus, it is much cheaper than the cost of hiring an attorney to do this for you.
• Representation: As part of forming a company, you need to designate a registered agent to handle important document deliveries on your behalf. In New York, the secretary of state becomes your intermediary by default once you start the company. However, you are still free to choose a person or entity to act as a secondary point of contact. While this other person can be you, hiring a professional comes with advantages such as accountability, convenience and discretion. As part of this package, you will get free representation for up to a year. If you are satisfied with the results, you can start paying the annual subscription fee the following year.
• An EIN: Not all businesses need this number as it applies to companies that hire employees or those with multiple members. Even so, you might still want to get one for ease in opening a bank account, increasing your credibility (to file business taxes), and protecting your identity (as opposed to using a Social Security Number). Getting this number from the IRS is free of charge. However, getting it under this package can reduce the hassle of having to do it yourself.
• An Operating Agreement Template: All companies need their own operating agreement if they are to avoid having default rules decide how they run their operations. It’s always better to be safe by deciding how you will govern your organization from the start. As part of the package, you will get a sample ownership structure which you can use as a baseline when drafting your own policies.

Compliance

The Formation package has everything you would get from the first one. However, it comes with additional services, bringing its total cost to $799 exclusive of the state fees:

• Managed Annual Report Service: Keeping track of due dates can be a lot of work, more so in the first few years when you are yet to get the hang of things. This service enables you to get your LLC’s annual reports done on time, thus preserving your good standing with the state and keeping you compliant.
• Initial Report: If you come from a state where you have to file an initial report after forming your LLC, you can get this done under this package. It will take a lot of work off your back and allow you to focus on other things pertinent to your organization.
• Publishing: In states such as New York, you must publish the formation of your company in local papers and get an affidavit showing that you have adhered to this regulation. Under this package, this work would no longer fall on your shoulders. You can sit back and wait for the experts to do what they do best.
• Company Kit: This kit is a nice way to start your entrepreneurship journey. It comes with a binder and a symbolic seal with the name of your company. It also includes details such as address, date of formation and other key details.
• Tax Election: By default, your tax payments will come down to the number of members in your company. However, you do not have to go with this classification and you can always choose how you want to make payments. It’s quite tricky to understand which documents to prepare to change this setup but this site will help you navigate this with ease.
• Full Support: Many formation services end their support once they have handed over your company to you after registration. However, as a new business owner, you need support that goes beyond the basics as you will come across many challenges as you move along. Instead of letting you go once you have your organization up and running, this package provides ongoing customer service access.

Harbor Compliance Customer Reviews

This company has not been around for long and thus does not have a ton of online customer feedback at present. However, it helps that the few reviews left on third party sites lie on the positive side. Many clients have come forward to praise the exceptional support they received, more so from the assigned specialists. Reading through the reviews would enable you to gauge this relatively new company at a better level.

Is Harbor Compliance Right for You?

✔ When to Start an LLC with Harbor Compliance:

• If you want all features bundled in one package such that you do not have to look elsewhere for added services
• If you want premium level customer support to get an individually assigned Compliance Specialist
• If you have complex requirements

✖ When NOT to Start an LLC with Harbor Compliance:

• If you are on a tight budget. There are other service providers in the market who charge fractions of what you pay this company.
• If you do not need highly specialized services

Final Verdict

If you are after value for your money, this professional LLC formation company is a great choice as it offers specialized support to each of its clients. Most of the people who choose Harbor Compliance do so for its incredible customer support. Additionally, it has an easy-to-use interface and comes with two options. At the same time, their starting price point is much higher than that of most operators in the market, but that’s what you pay for quality.