TIME TO FILE ONLINE ANNUAL REPORTS

HELENA—It’s time once again for business entities in Montana to begin submitting annual reports. Secretary of State Brad Johnson encouraged businesses to do so before January 31, to help control costs.

“Controlling costs for Montana businesses is a top priority for this office,” said Johnson. “Since the Secretary of State’s office is entirely funded by user fees paid by businesses, everything we can do to hold down expenses helps the business community.”

Montana law requires all corporations and LLCs doing business in Montana to file an annual report with the Secretary of State’s office listing their board of directors, registered agent, and other information about the business. Those reports for 2008 can be filed through April 15 for a fee of $15.  After that date, the reports can still be filed, but there will be an additional late fee of $15, making the total fee $30 after that date. Business entities that are not a corporation or LLC do not need to file annual reports.

The Secretary of State’s office has already notified businesses of the need to file 2008 annual reports via e-mail. However, business entities that have not filed by January 31 will receive a hard copy letter reminding them to file.  Reducing the number of letters mailed reduces operating costs for the office, so Johnson asked businesses to file before January 31 if possible.

As in the past two years, corporations and LLCs can file these reports online at the Secretary of State’s website, sos.mt.gov.  Last year, over 70,000 Montana businesses filed their annual reports online. Online filing is easier and cheaper for both the state and the business.  Savings from online annual reporting have been estimated at more than $100,000.

“We’re bringing this office into the twenty-first century,” said Johnson.

He added that corporation fees in Montana’s Secretary of State’s office are among the lowest in the nation and timely online annual reporting helps keep them that way.

“This is the kind of cooperation between the public and private sector that leads to truly efficient government,” Johnson said.

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