Q. We are starting a new investment club and heard that (at least in Pennsylvania) that the corporation bureau charges an annual registration fee of $330. Is this fee per member or per the club?

A. If your club is planning to form as a legal liability partnership (LLP) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, then it may well cost your club (not each member) $330 a year in registration fees. The actual fees for registering a club vary from state to state, and depend on the specific legal entity under which your club chooses to form. There may also be an initial registration fee in addition to annual fees that must be paid each year that your club is in operation. Fees for general partnerships will generally be much lower than for LLPs or LLCs, however.

In addition, there may be registration or annual filing fees that must be paid to your county clerk or other local authority.

Besides fees and filings that may be required for your club's operations, most states require that you file an annual tax return. In some states, your club may be liable for taxes, but in others the return is only informational.

For more information on registration requirements in Pennsylvania or any state, see our list of state agencies.