Finances involved in copyrighting a Brand Name

Introduction

Trademarking a brand name can be expensive, but it’s important to do your research and choose the right attorney. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services. It is one of many forms of intellectual property rights. Trademarks provide businesses with a symbol to promote their products and differentiate them from competitors. They are also used to stop other companies from using your brand name without permission or authorization; this ensures that people only buy from you because they know what they’re getting when they see your name on an item. If you’re thinking about creating a new product line or looking for ways to grow sales in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, it may be time for you—and your business—to file for trademark protection on certain aspects of your branding efforts.

Research

• Research the name you want to trademark.
• Check if the name is already trademarked.
• Check if the name is already in use by another organization or individual.
• Check if the name is offensive or not. Is there a possibility that it will hurt your brand’s reputation? If yes, then don’t go for it!
• Check if the name is related to a celebrity or not (for example, if your company produces clothing and you name it after a popular actor). You can run into copyright issues because of this as well as legal implications regarding their right over their image which may come into play later on when trying to sell products using celebrity images on them

Filing Fees

The filing fees are not refundable and they are non-refundable.

Application Fees

Application fees are the costs associated with filing your trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Filing fees are due when you submit your application and can vary depending on the type of filing you choose, but they’re typically around $325.

Application fees apply to both an intent-to-use (ITU) and a use-based (UB) application. An ITU is an application that you file before you actually begin using a mark. Once your mark is approved and registered, it will be added to the USPTO database as an active trademark. A UB filing is one where you already have begun using a mark in commerce; this means that any brand name or logo that has been used commercially is eligible for trademark protection under this category as long as it meets all other legal requirements for registration at this level.”

Trademark Search and Examination Fee

If your business has applied for a Trademark, you will be charged a registration fee at the time of filing. This fee is nonrefundable, so make sure that before submitting your application for review, you are certain about what classifications and goods/services will be included in it. The trademark search and examination fees are based on the number of classifications being requested—so if you have multiple classifications (such as “clothing,” “shoes,” “bags,” etc.), then it may cost more than just one classification (such as “clothing”). However, if your business only applies under one classification, then the fee will likely be lower than if there were multiple classes involved.

The trademark search fee goes toward searching through databases to ensure that no other party owns any similar trademarks already filed with the USPTO or any foreign counterparts thereof.

The examination fee goes toward reviewing all paperwork submitted along with an application (including any drawings) as well as conducting legal research regarding whether or not these items comply with U.S law requirements.

Create your budget for trademarks

The cost of registering a trademark depends on the type of application filed: a standard application or an intent-to-use (ITU) application. A standard application requires you to pay an initial filing fee, which is currently $275 (as of April 2018). You’ll also need to pay the examiner’s fee for the search, examination, and issuance of your trademark; these fees are based on whether it’s in one class or multiple classes and can range from $325-$375 per class up to three classes.

If you decide to file an ITU application, it will cost slightly more than if you filed a standard application because there are additional costs associated with getting approval before using a mark on products or services in commerce. For example, any ITU applicant must submit specimens showing the use of their trademarks within six months after publication; this involves providing samples like packaging materials or product labels that show how their marks will look when used commercially. The USPTO charges a specimen fee for each item submitted ($100 – $325 per item).

The total cost associated with registering both types of applications varies widely depending on complexity (for example: having multiple names applied under one registration), but generally falls between $1,000-$2,500 per name

Conclusion

If you are looking to build your brand and protect it, then trademarking is a great way to do so. You can save money by doing the work yourself, but if you want to make sure everything goes smoothly, then hiring an attorney is your best bet.