An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a US business structure that protects your personal assets from business liability while keeping taxes simple. It’s the most common choice for solo founders, freelancers, and small businesses in the US — and it’s also the easiest US structure for non-residents to form.
What does “limited liability” mean?
It means the LLC is its own legal entity. If something goes wrong with the business — a lawsuit, a debt, an angry customer — the LLC is the one on the hook, not you personally. Your house, your savings, and your personal accounts stay protected.
How is it taxed?
By default, an LLC is a pass-through entity. Profits flow to the owner’s personal tax return. For non-residents, that means you only pay US tax on income that’s actually connected to a US business activity. We’ll guide you through the specifics.
What you need to start an LLC
- A name (we’ll check availability in your state)
- A registered agent in the state where you form it
- Articles of Organization filed with the state
- An EIN from the IRS
- An operating agreement
Why non-residents pick LLCs
LLCs are simple, cheap, and fast. They give you a real US legal entity you can use to open a US bank account, run Stripe, sign contracts with US clients, and look professional to anyone you do business with. And you don’t need an SSN or a US visit to form one.
