Everyone seems to have good reasons for beginning their corporation thru IPIU.
I live in Oklahoma, and I took the required state training, but when I found out the costs involved- WOW. Here you have to have an agency and an individual license, you do not get choice in one or the other. the state upped the fees the year I took my classes. Insurance runs over $900 per year and this was the cheapest I could find. To get a corporation here there are more fees involved.
I got my training and 6 separate certificates in PI work so I could have a career, not some boring job. Even the training I took from the state was geared more to do surveillance for insurance companies, or for cheating spouses. While some may find this a good area, I did not, so I was already limited. Once the classes were over all you had to do was take the test, and I was not trained in the area of my interest. My other certificates did cost more money but now I have the part that was missing.
When I attended the PI Association meeting, I was surrounded by Process Servers, with no one doing or knowing anything about my chosen area, it was disappointing.
Joining the International Private Investigators Union, I found hundreds of other people who are in varied different areas of PI work. It was refreshing. I have read many threads, gained valued info, took notes on stuff I was unsure of and re-read them often. Also there is always someone who puts in something I had not thought of. If I have questions, there is someone out there who jumps in with an answer.
After passing the test and getting my ID, I decided I wanted to be my own boss and wanted my business to progress the way I wanted to take it. I got my corporation, with an easy set up thru IPIU, and the costs involved have been low, so I keep startup costs to a minimum. I am a 2nd year corporation, and will begin looking for clients in May.
The list of the varied areas a person can go into is like nothing I have seen in any of my training. It has given me many new directions to pursue, and I have found some training resources which have added certificates to my resume. Had the list not been provided, I would have missed something of value.
IPIU created the booklet about Virtual Corporations. Again, I have never seen this elsewhere, and it is very useful. The information provided has allowed me to gain more knowledge, and be sure I have everything set up right. The IRS tools are great too. Everything in one place, it can't get better.
So I guess my biggest reasons for setting up my corporation with IPIU are:
- The lengths IPIU has gone to for their members to be totally prepared for the corporate world.
- Making it easy and inexpensive to get everything set up.
- The fact there is always someone there to answer questions- you aren't left in the dark to figure it out on your own.
- Walking you thru stuff like EIN number, bank account setup, Corporate forms makes them simple to understand, and easy to complete.
- The things that come to you for free, even as a non-corporate level member are very useful, and no one can knock getting something for free. Again, these are not available anywhere else.
All around, for me, the best thing I ever did for my career was to have joined IPIU.