Do I need to buy a corporate binder when I incorporate my business?

You do not need to buy a corporate binder when you incorporate your business. All states require that a corporation keep correct and complete copies of its books and records, including minutes of shareholders’ and directors’ meetings. The states also all provide for the inspection of such books and records upon demand by a shareholder. Corporations have traditionally kept paper copies of required books and records in binders at the corporation’s headquarters, but that is no longer necessary in most states, which have kept pace with the move to electronic recordkeeping. For example, California, Delaware, and New York all permit corporate books and records to be kept in electronic format, so long as the information can be quickly retrieved and converted into paper form. So you can obtain a fancy corporate binder to hold paper copies of your company’s books and records if you like, but there is no legal or practical reason to do so. For more information, read our article Do I Need a Corporate Binder?