Monday, Sep. 22, 2008
Delaware
What could be more authentically American than using fancy legal maneuvering to shield your assets? People have been coming to Delaware to do it for years — so much so that the state's rep as an incorporation capital is the only thing many Americans know about it. (That, and Joe Biden. So why is the tiny state the legal home to half of all publicly traded companies and 60% of the Fortune 500? Because, compared with other states' laws, Delaware's are just a lot more advantageous to corporations. You can get in on the action too, by incorporating yourself. Do it online or with the help of a legal service; it may or may not help with your finances, but it will at least impress your friends.