California

In California the shareholders of a standard corporation may consist of any number of individuals of any nationality, and/or any number of Corporations, including a Bahamas IBC Corporation. (Shareholder limits are imposed by the Federal government through the Security Exchange Act of 1933.) Shareholders' identities are protected in California. Any individual or nominee, as a Director in a California Corporation, is protected from personal liability for acts committed on behalf of the Corporation, by the Corporation.

DELAWARE

Bankruptcy rules allow companies to file in either the state where they are incorporated or where they do business. Delaware has become a popular jurisdiction for incorporation since the Delaware court is widely recognized for giving companies favorable treatment in negotiations with creditors and for disposing of cases more quickly than other courts. However, in January 1997 a federal judge in Wilmington, DE took away the right of the Delaware bankruptcy court there to automatically hear business reorganization cases. The order cited "a significant increase" in the number of cases before the Delaware bankruptcy court. The order stated that the federal district court in Delaware will begin assigning cases to regular federal judges in addition to bankruptcy judges. The order comes as a result of a federally appointed commission re-evaluating bankruptcy procedures. The panel is preparing to propose that corporations no longer be allowed to file for bankruptcy in states where their only connection is incorporation. Further, federal district courts have had authority to regulate bankruptcy proceedings since the early 1980’s. This certainly jeopardizes Delaware’s role as an incorporation haven for bankruptcy protection.