• The memorandum of association is the documents filed with a government body (usually the state), which means the creation of a corporation.

  • In the United States, the constituent documents are submitted to the office of the Secretary of State at the place of registration of the company.
  • Generally speaking, the founding documents include the name of the company, the type of corporate structure, and the number and type of authorized shares.
  • While articles of association are used almost exclusively outside the company, other documents such as articles of association, operating agreements or business plans are more useful internally.
  • By filling in the articles of incorporation, corporations can receive favorable tax breaks, the ability to issue shares and raise capital, or protect owners from liability.