What is the most advantageous way to transition from our existing domain/company name to a new domain/company name?

What is the most advantageous way to transition from our existing domain/company name to a new domain/company name?

 

 Answer:
A. Business name change: A business that changes its name can notify the IRS of the name change by following the procedures described at the IRS website below. Provided the name change does not require the business to obtain a new Federal Tax ID number (TIN), also known as a Federal Employer Identification Number or EIN, the IRS will change the business name assigned to the business’ EIN.

• Business name change: irs.gov
• Using the correct name control: irs.gov (see Q&A #8)

It is important to understand that obtaining an EIN from the IRS for a business does not legally establish a business, register the business’ name, or impart any protection for the commercial use of the name. Registering a business entity (i.e., corporation, LLC, etc) name occurs at the State level.  Protecting a business name for commercial purposes typically requires registering a federal or state trademark for the name.
In terms of changing your business name with the State, changing a business entity name involves filing paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office. For example, a Michigan corporation can change its legal name with the State by filing a Certificate of Amendment to its Articles of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-715) with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.  You will also need to confirm that the new name you have selected is available for registration as well as commercial purposes. Registering a business name with the state or county (where applicable) gives only limited protection and does not guarantee the availability of the name for commercial purposes. Also, first use, grandfather, trademark, and other laws can affect the legal use of a name and potential infringement issues.  You can find Form CSCL/CD-715 and the Department of LARA’s business name availability search tool (for registration purposes only) at the following websites:

• Certificate of amendment: dleg.state.mi.us.pdf
• Name availability search: michigan.gov

Changing a business name is a costly and disruptive process, especially for established businesses, so it is not customary for businesses to change their names unless there is compelling reason to do so.  The following are additional discussions you may find helpful in understanding the considerations when changing a business name:

• Change your business name, 7 issues: microsoft.com
• How to change your business name, legal and regulatory: sba.gov
• Changing your business name: entrepreneur.com

B. Domain Name Change: Once you have changed your business name according to the information and steps listed above, you will need to check the availability of the corresponding domain name that matches your new company name.  If it is not available, you will either have to put in an offer to purchase the domain from the current owner or consider a different domain.  Either way you can simply purchase a new domain through your current domain registrar or we would recommend purchasing your domain from GoDaddy.com, as they are a reliable company that has great value pricing and user friendly services.  You can utilize the website below to search the availability of your new desired domain name:

• What’s in the WHOIS? godaddy.com

If you are referring to a domain name that you use with a domain forwarding service, you would have to contact your domain forwarding service provider to determine how to replace your current domain name with a new domain name.