Guides for running a US company
Formation, bookkeeping and tax filings, explained in plain English.
Form 5472 for foreign-owned LLCs: who files, when, and howIf a non-US person owns your single-member LLC, you file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even with no revenue. Here's how it works.Read the guide →Do US LLCs still file a BOI report in 2026?FinCEN's final rule removed beneficial ownership reporting for companies formed in the US. Here's who still files, and the letters to ignore.Read the guide →Wyoming, Delaware or New Mexico: which state for your LLC?Annual fees, reports and trade-offs of the states non-US founders pick most often for an LLC, with a simple way to decide.Read the guide →US business tax deadlines: the yearly calendarMarch 15, April 15, extensions, quarterly estimated taxes and state reports: every date a US LLC or corporation needs on its calendar.Read the guide →P&L, balance sheet and cash flow: what each one tells youA plain-English guide to the three main financial statements of a small US company, and why reconciling with your bank matters.Read the guide →How to get an EIN without an SSNNon-US founders can get an EIN for a US LLC or corporation without an SSN or ITIN. Here's which method works, what to write on Form SS-4, and how long it takes.Read the guide →LLC or C-Corp: which US company should you form?How a US LLC and a C corporation differ in taxes, paperwork and fundraising, and which one fits a non-US founder, a small online business or a startup raising money.Read the guide →Delaware franchise tax: how much a startup really owesWhy Delaware's first franchise tax bill can look like $75,000, how the assumed par value method brings it down, and the March 1 and June 1 deadlines.Read the guide →Opening a US business bank account as a non-residentWhat banks and fintechs ask non-US founders for, why applications get rejected, and how to prepare your LLC or corporation before you apply.Read the guide →S-Corp election: when it saves money and who can't use itHow an S corporation election can cut self-employment tax for US owners, the Form 2553 deadline, and why non-resident owners aren't allowed.Read the guide →US sales tax for online sellers: economic nexus explainedWhen an online business has to register and collect sales tax in a US state, the common $100,000 threshold, and what changed when states dropped the 200-transaction test.Read the guide →Paying contractors: Form 1099-NEC, W-9 and W-8BENWhen a US company has to file Form 1099-NEC, the new $2,000 threshold for 2026 payments, and what to collect from US and non-US contractors.Read the guide →The monthly close: a bookkeeping checklist for small companiesSeven steps to close your company's books every month: bank statements, categories, owner transfers, reconciliation and reports.Read the guide →The 83(b) election: the 30-day deadline founders can't missWhy founders with vesting shares file an 83(b) election, how to file it online or by mail, and why there are no second chances after 30 days.Read the guide →What a registered agent does, and why every US company needs oneEvery US LLC and corporation must name a registered agent with a street address in its state. What the agent does, what happens without one, and how it differs from a business address.Read the guide →