Authorized shares are the total number of shares a company can legally issue, while issued shares are the number the company has issued to date. The number of authorized and issued shares may be the same or different, in which case there would be more authorized than issued shares.
“Authorized shares” refers to the number of shares the corporation is allowed to issue under its certificate or articles of incorporation. 10 to 15 million is a commonly used range (we set 10 million as default for the Cooley GO Docs Incorporation Package).
Authorized shares are defined as the maximum number of shares that a company is legally allowed to issue to investors, as established in its corporate organization documents, such as its articles of incorporation.
If it does occur, a company has breached any agreement with those investors, employees or other parties that have been “issued” the excess shares. In addition to any conflict with these potential recipients, such over-issuances are often complex (but not impossible) to correct under state law.
The number of authorized shares is specified in the company's articles of incorporation. You can also see the number in the capital accounts section on the balance sheet.
We generally suggest that a start-up initially authorize 10,000-10,000,000 shares of Common Stock (sometimes referred to in other countries as “ordinary shares” or “voting stock”). This amount of Common Stock enables sufficient shares for initial founder grants and for subsequent employee and consultant grants.
They are “authorized” because they fall within the maximum number of shares a company can sell ing to its corporate charter. They are “issued” because they have been sold. They are “outstanding” because they have been sold to the public (not to the owners or managers of the company).
Many experts suggest starting with 10,000, but companies can authorize as little as one share. While 10,000 may seem conservative, owners can file for more authorized stocks at a later time. Typically, business owners should choose a number that includes the stocks being issued and some for reservation.
How to Create an S Corp in Georgia Choose a unique name for your Georgia limited liability company. Appoint a registered agent. File your Georgia LLC Articles of Organization. Create an operating agreemen. Register for your EIN Number. Apply for S Corp status with IRS Form 2553.