As of January 2011, the Pennsylvania Department of State will require approximately 500,000 entities registered within the state prior to 2002 to file a Decennial Filing. This form is intended to identify business names and track those names no longer in use, so that they may potentially be reissued. 

“Decennial Report of Association Continued Existence,” must be returned by businesses in order to  maintain exclusive use of their name. Forms will be mailed to selected businesses including domestic and foreign corporations (profit and nonprofit), LLC’s, LLP’s, LP’s, and business trusts.  The completed form, along with a $70 fee, must be returned to retain and protect the recipient’s registered name. 

Pennsylvania businesses formed prior to 2002 should also note that failure to receive a Decennial Filing notice does not exempt them from filing. An online database of businesses required to file in 2011 is available at http://www.corporationdecennial.state.pa.us/.

Please contact a member of your Marcum Tax team for further information.

A special thanks to article contributors Stephen Bleyer and Julie Meyer