Nonprofit Formation
Incorporating creates your nonprofit. The IRS Form 1023 application is what makes it tax-exempt and donations to it deductible. We handle both.
Flat fees from $1,500. Agreed in writing before any work begins, with government filing fees included. See the packages ›
Tell us about your mission. We usually reply the same business day.
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Book a ConsultationLegacy Path Law focuses on nonprofit formation and tax-exempt organizations. Your formation is handled by an attorney — not simply an online filing platform.
The attorneys who will handle your formation
Founding partners Breanna McCarthy and Channing Thomas work in nonprofit and tax-exempt law every day. Your matter is handled by an admitted attorney, not an intake team or a filing service.
Flat fees, agreed in writing before any work begins
Essential
$1,500
Qualifying small charities
Most chosen · recommended
Complete
$2,999
Most organizations forming today
Growth & Protection
$3,999
Formation plus brand protection
Every package includes working directly with your attorney. You complete a short intake form first, so your attorney understands your organization before you speak — and from there the work is handled by the attorney, not passed to a case manager. Essential begins with a group kick-off call; Complete and Growth & Protection begin with a private consultation by video or phone. All three include ongoing support by email while your matter is open.
*Additional calls beyond the initial consultation can be arranged, and will be quoted as a flat fee in writing before they are scheduled. You will never receive a bill you did not agree to.
Form 1023-EZ eligibility is set by the IRS, not by us. Broadly, it requires gross receipts of $50,000 or less in each of the past and next three years, and total assets of $250,000 or less. Churches, schools and hospitals cannot use it at any size. We run the IRS eligibility worksheet before filing — if your organization does not qualify, we tell you and move you to Complete rather than file the wrong form and have the IRS suspend it.
“Kind, clear, and reliable! Highly recommend!”
Amy · via Avvo Read all reviews ›
A prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results.
The right application depends on IRS eligibility requirements and your organization’s circumstances.
Form 1023-EZ
A streamlined application for eligible organizations that meet the IRS requirements.
Potentially appropriate for qualifying smaller public charities.
Form 1023
The standard application for organizations that require the full application or are not eligible for Form 1023-EZ.
Includes more extensive information about activities, finances, and organizational structure.
Not sure which applies? We review your organization’s eligibility before determining the appropriate filing route.
Read more: Form 1023 vs. Form 1023-EZ · Filing the long Form 1023 · Filing Form 1023-EZ · If the IRS asks for more information
Obtaining 501(c)(3) status requires four steps: incorporate with your state using articles that contain the IRS-required purpose and dissolution language, obtain a federal EIN, adopt bylaws and governance policies, then file IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ. Form 1023-EZ is a streamlined application available only to smaller organizations that meet the IRS eligibility criteria; everyone else files the full Form 1023. IRS review commonly takes several months, and errors in the organizing documents are considerably more expensive to fix after filing than before.
Both halves of the job, handled end to end. Nothing here is an add-on or an upsell.
We learn your mission, programs, funding plans, and leadership so the structure matches how you'll actually operate.
We draft and file articles of incorporation containing the purpose and dissolution language the IRS requires, plus bylaws and a conflict-of-interest policy.
We help you obtain your federal EIN and get organized for banking and recordkeeping.
We prepare your narrative, budgets, and schedules, submit the application, and handle IRS correspondence through determination.
Avvo confers this award based on client reviews submitted to Avvo. A prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results.
The testimonials on this page reflect the experience of those individual clients. Every matter is different, and a prospective client may not obtain the same or similar results.
100% Flat-Fee Pricing
Every nonprofit service is quoted as a flat fee and agreed in writing before any work begins. No hourly billing, and no invoice you did not see coming.
Unused Fees Refunded
If you decide not to continue, we refund 100% of the legal fees we have not yet earned and any filing fees we have not yet paid. Filing fees already submitted to a state or the IRS, and legal work already completed, cannot be refunded.
We Fix Our Own Mistakes
If your application is denied because of an error on our part, we prepare and resubmit it at no additional legal fee. Government filing fees charged on a resubmission are not within our control, and no firm can promise the IRS will approve any application.
Handled by a Licensed Attorney
Your documents are drafted, reviewed and filed by an admitted attorney. Nothing is routed to an intake team or a document-preparation service, and you can ask your attorney a question at any point.
Forming a nonprofit is two jobs: the state entity, and IRS tax exemption. Cheaper routes usually cover only the first — and the second is where mistakes are expensive to undo.
| Feature | Do It Yourself | Online Filing Service | Full-Service Law Firm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Lowest upfront cost | Moderate, with add-on fees | Flat fee, agreed in writing |
| State incorporation | You prepare and file | Filed from a template | Attorney-prepared and filed |
| IRS-required language | Commonly missed | Generic boilerplate | Drafted for your purpose |
| Form 1023 or 1023-EZ | You decide and file | Often an upsell | Eligibility assessed, then filed |
| Bylaws & conflict policy | Downloaded templates | Templates, if included | Drafted for your organization |
| Board composition | No guidance | No guidance | Reviewed against IRS expectations |
| IRS follow-up questions | Handled on your own | Additional fees to assist | Responses included |
| Best for | Experienced founders | Simple, low-budget filings | Getting it right the first time |
Amending organizing documents after filing costs more than drafting them correctly, and a denied application means paying the IRS user fee again.
501(c)(3) formation fits most charitable, religious, and educational organizations. A few situations need a different route, and it is cheaper to find that out now.
You are building something charitable and you want it done once, properly.
Still us, just a different starting point.
Not sure which describes you? That is the first thing a consultation settles, and it costs nothing to ask.
Why Growth & Protection
Incorporating with the state stops another entity registering the identical name in that state. It does not give you rights to the name nationally, it does not stop someone else registering it as a federal trademark, and it will not help you when a similarly named organization starts fundraising in your donors’ inboxes.
For a nonprofit this matters more than most founders expect. Your name is what donors search for, what grantmakers verify, and what appears on every receipt. Losing it, or being forced to change it after three years of building recognition, is expensive in a way that has nothing to do with legal fees.
That is what the Growth & Protection package adds: a USPTO clearance search before you commit to the name, then a federal trademark application filed alongside your formation, so the brand is protected from the same day the organization is.
Filed separately afterwards, the same trademark work is $1,500. Bundled at formation it is the $1,000 difference between the Complete and Growth & Protection packages — and the search happens before your name is on any paperwork.
A strong mission is the easy part. These are the issues that most often cause delays and rework.
Selecting the wrong nonprofit structure creates avoidable complications with operations, governance, and IRS compliance later on.
Articles of incorporation and bylaws must contain specific language required for nonprofit operation and 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.
Nonprofits need proper board procedures, policies, and documentation to maintain both compliance and credibility with funders.
Errors in a 501(c)(3) application can delay approval by months or trigger follow-up questions that create additional work.
One conversation is usually enough to map out the whole path, structure, filings, and timeline.
State incorporation is often complete within days to a few weeks. IRS review of an exemption application commonly takes a few months, and timelines vary depending on the form filed and current IRS processing times.
Form 1023 is the full application for recognition of exemption. Form 1023-EZ is a shorter form available only to smaller organizations that meet the IRS eligibility requirements. We help determine which form fits your organization and prepare it accordingly.
Requirements vary by state, but the IRS looks for a board with enough independent members to show the organization is not controlled by a single person or family. We advise on a structure that supports your exemption application.
Yes. A nonprofit may pay reasonable compensation for services actually rendered. What is prohibited is private benefit or inurement, which is why documented, reasonable compensation and a conflict-of-interest policy matter.
Many states, including Florida, require charitable solicitation registration before you ask the public for donations. We'll flag the registrations that apply to your plans.
A nonprofit is an entity created for a charitable, educational, religious, scientific, or other qualifying purpose. Unlike a traditional business, it has no owners who receive profits; resources go to supporting the organization's mission.
Generally you form the organization with the state, obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN), prepare governing documents, and submit an application to the IRS for federal tax-exempt status.
Yes. Bylaws establish how the organization operates and set the rules for board responsibilities, leadership structure, decision-making, and governance.
Commonly: articles of incorporation, bylaws, a conflict of interest policy, board resolutions, an EIN application, and the appropriate IRS application for 501(c)(3) status.