# Formation.Legal

> The decision engine for non-US founders who want a US company that actually works for payments, banking, and compliance.

## About

Formation.Legal is an independent research platform that helps non-US founders
compare US entity types, formation providers, payment access, banking risk,
address requirements, and annual compliance before they spend money.

This is NOT legal or tax advice. We provide research-driven decision support.

## Pillars

### Payment Access Reality
- URL: https://formation.legal/payment-access
- Does a US company actually unlock Stripe, PayPal, and global payments for your situation?

### Address, Banking & KYC Reality
- URL: https://formation.legal/address-banking
- Which address works where — and can you actually open a US bank account?

### Compliance Survival
- URL: https://formation.legal/compliance
- What happens after formation — Form 5472, BOI, EIN, annual filings, and penalties.

### Provider Decision Lab
- URL: https://formation.legal/providers
- Route-based provider comparisons — not which pays the highest commission, but which fits your route.

### Founder Route Playbooks
- URL: https://formation.legal/playbooks
- Country + business model + payment goal playbooks for non-US founders.

## Guides


## Research

- [What is LLC Formation? A Complete Guide](https://formation.legal/research/what-is-llc-formation): Everything you need to know about forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC), including costs, requirements, and step-by-step process.

## Tools

- [US Business Route Planner](https://formation.legal/tools/route-planner): Find the right US business route for your situation.
- [3-Year LLC Cost Calculator](https://formation.legal/tools/cost-calculator): Compare formation providers by total 3-year cost.