An LLC, formed by Fae.

A limited liability company separates your business from your personal finances and is simple to run. Tell Fae what you do and she prepares it and files it with the state.

Start with Fae See pricing

Compare with a C-Corp →

Filed with
Internal rules
Owners are called: Members
Who can own one: People from any country
From: $192.75

Who an LLC is for

It is the simplest way to own a company in the US. It fits when you want order and few formalities.

It usually fits if

You are the only owner, or you have a few partners you trust.
You sell services or products online and want simple yearly upkeep.
You live outside the US and want a US company to bill clients or receive platform payouts.
You prefer to write your own rules in an .
You do not plan to give shares to investors in the near term.

Think twice if

You are about to seek venture capital.
You want to grant stock options to a team.
An investor or accelerator already asked you for a .

How it is formed, step by step

Fae leads the conversation and a person on the team reviews what cannot be automated. You see the same progress in your dashboard.

Fae asks only what is needed: what the company does, who owns it, the name and the state. Every answer is saved in your company file, and you can stop halfway and continue later. Sensitive numbers, such as an SSN, an or a passport, are never typed in the chat: Fae opens a private form.
Fae explains how the states differ and what each one costs, and checks the name against the state's rules. If the name you chose is taken, we contact you to pick another at no cost.
Before paying you review a summary and can correct anything. The quote separates the state fee, which we charge at cost, from the FairEntity service. You pay by card through Stripe, in a single payment.
We file your , order the for the first year and prepare your , which a person on the team reviews before handing it over. The state sets the timing: in an online filing makes the company active as soon as it is completed; usually takes between 1 and 3 weeks and between 1 and 2.
Once the filing is approved, Fae requests the from the IRS. If the responsible party has an SSN or it is requested online; if they have neither, we prepare the SS-4 form for you to sign, and it usually takes 4 to 10 business days. Then Fae walks you through opening a business bank account. Each bank decides whom it approves.
Fae notes the date of each obligation for your company and reminds you at 60, 30 and 7 days. She also watches the renewal. If you want, we prepare and file the , and the state fee is charged at cost.

The Operating Agreement

It is the document where you write your 's internal rules. It is not filed with the state, but banks and platforms ask for it, and it helps when there is more than one person.

We draft it from your company file and a person on the team reviews it before handing it over. It appears in your dashboard with your other documents.

What it usually covers

Who owns what
The members and each one's percentage. The percentages add up to 100.
How it is run
Whether the members run the LLC or one or more managers they appoint.
Contributions and payouts
What each member puts in and how profit is shared.
Decisions and votes
What one person decides alone and what needs the members' agreement.
Partners joining and leaving
What happens if someone wants to sell their share or leave.
Closing the company
How the LLC is dissolved if you ever decide to close it.

Owners and members

In an the owners are called members. They can live in any country, and you do not need to travel.

One person owns 100%

This is the most common case. You are the member and you decide everything.

The is short and makes clear the company is yours.
A bank or payment platform asks for that document to verify who the owner is.
If someone joins later, the document is updated with the new percentages.

Percentages are split among everyone

Each person appears with a percentage, and the percentages add up to 100.

It helps to write down from the start who decides what and how someone leaves.
Fae asks for each member's details and keeps them in the company file.
A lawyer can advise on special clauses between partners.

Two ways to run it

Member-managed: The owners make the day-to-day decisions. This is usual in small companies.
Manager-managed: The owners appoint one or more people, the managers, to run the company. It helps when some partners only contribute money.

What about investors

An can take investment, but the structure is less familiar to the people investing.

It is possible

You can accept money from other people and record them as members in the .

It is less common

Funding rounds and stock options are easier to set up on a corporation.

There is a way out

If the business moves that way, the can convert to a . It is a separate filing with its own cost.

If you already know you will raise money, see the C-Corp page. →

Taxes, in general terms

This is general information so you know what exists. FairEntity does not give legal or tax advice, and your case depends on where you live and where you earn.

Profit passes through to the owners

By default an does not pay federal tax as a company: the result is reported on its owners' returns. What is paid and where depends on each person.

There are filings even with no income

The IRS usually asks for from US companies with foreign owners, even if the company had no income. Not filing it can lead to penalties.

The state may ask for its share

Depending on the state there is an , a tax or neither. See the yearly costs section.

What Fae does

She does not file tax returns. She explains which obligations exist and reminds you to review them every year with an accountant who works with foreign-owned companies.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

What it costs each year

Pick a state and see what you pay today and what comes after. Nothing below it is charged today.

Wyoming

Today

State filing fee: $103.75
FairEntity formation: $89
Total today: $192.75

Then, every year

Obligation to the state: $60 a year
Registered agentFrom the second year: $174 a year

When and how

Annual report with the license tax. It is due the first day of your company's anniversary month. The amount shown is the minimum and can be higher depending on the assets you hold in Wyoming.

Delaware

Today

State filing fee: $110
FairEntity formation: $89
Total today: $199

Then, every year

Obligation to the state: $400 a year
Registered agentFrom the second year: $174 a year

When and how

The LLC's annual tax, with no separate annual report. It is due June 1. If paid late, the state charges a $200 penalty plus 1.5% interest per month.

Florida

Today

State filing fee: $125
FairEntity formation: $89
Total today: $214

Then, every year

Obligation to the state: $138.75 a year
Registered agentFrom the second year: $174 a year

When and how

Annual report between January 1 and May 1. After May 1 the state charges a $400 late fee.

New Mexico

Today

State filing fee: $52
FairEntity formation: $89
Total today: $141

Then, every year

Obligation to the state: None
Registered agentFrom the second year: $174 a year

When and how

The state asks no annual report and no annual fee from LLCs.

See every state and the full breakdown →

LLC and C-Corp, side by side

A general comparison. Fae can go through your case with you, and a lawyer or accountant can advise on it.

Topic	LLC	C-Corp
Who owns it	One or more members, from any country. Each holds a percentage.	Shareholders, from any country. It also needs directors and officers, who can be the same person.
Internal document	Operating Agreement: percentages, decisions and how partners leave.	Bylaws: meetings, directors, officers and shares.
Filing document	Articles of Organization (Certificate of Formation in Delaware).	Articles of Incorporation (Certificate of Incorporation in Delaware).
Taxes, in general terms	By default the company does not pay tax as such and profit passes through to the owners. There are information filings every year.	The company is its own taxpayer. Owners can be taxed again when they receive dividends.
Outside investment	Possible, but less common with investors.	The usual structure for funding rounds and stock options.
Formalities	Few. An Operating Agreement and a record of key decisions.	More. Bylaws, a board, shareholder records and a meeting each year.
Typical yearly cost	State fee or report, if the state asks for one, and the registered agent. Varies by state.	State report or franchise tax and the registered agent. Varies by state.
Switching type later	It can convert to a C-Corp when you start raising money. It is a separate filing with its own cost.	Possible, but worth reviewing with an accountant first because it can have tax consequences.
Usually fits	Freelancers, studios, online businesses and small teams.	Startups that plan to raise money or give equity to a team.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.See the C-Corp page →

What is included

The same package for both company types. The state fee is charged at cost and shown on its own.

Inside the formation

Name check against the state's rules
Filing with the state
for the first year
or Bylaws, reviewed by a person on the team
Fae's help opening a bank account
Reminders for each company date, at 60, 30 and 7 days

What you add when you need it

Separate services you choose. The prices come from the same list as the pricing page.

EIN
We request your EIN from the IRS online. For responsible parties with an SSN or ITIN.
$29once
EIN (no SSN)
We prepare and send your EIN application when the responsible party has no SSN or ITIN.
$64once
Registered agent renewal
Registered agent service for each year after the first.
$174a year
Annual report
We prepare and file your annual report each year. The state fee is charged at cost.
$44a year
Business address
A US street address for your company, with mail scanning.
$14a year
ITIN
We prepare your ITIN application with a certified acceptance agent.
$424once

The EIN depends on whether the responsible party has an SSN or ITIN. Fae tells you which applies.

What is left after costs is donated to humanitarian and animal aid in . Each month we publish the ledger with income, costs and donations.

How it works →

Frequently asked questions

Tap one to read the answer. If yours is not here, ask Fae.

Can I own an LLC if I live outside the US?

Yes. People who do not live in the US can own an . You do not need to travel, and you do not need an SSN or to form it or to get the company's .

Does an LLC pay US taxes?

It depends on where you live and where you earn. By default an does not pay tax as a company and its profit passes through to the owners, but there are filings every year even with no income. A tax professional can confirm your case.

Which state should I choose?

is very common for people living outside the US: filing costs $100 and the annual minimum is $60. Investors usually ask for . charges $125 for an and about $50, with no for . Tell Fae about your situation and she will recommend one.

How long until it is ready?

The state decides, not us. In , an online filing makes the company active as soon as it is completed. usually takes between 1 and 3 weeks, between 1 and 2, and anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Do I need a registered agent?

Yes, every state requires one. It is a person or company with a physical address in the state that receives your company's official mail. We order the first year as part of the formation and warn you before the next one expires.

What if I have no SSN?

You can still get the . Fae prepares the SS-4 form for you to sign and we send it to the IRS. That route usually takes 4 to 10 business days.

Can I open a US bank account with my LLC?

Fae walks you through the process and tells you which documents banks usually ask for, such as the and the company papers. That help is included. Each bank decides whom it approves, and we do not control that.

What is Form 5472?

It is an information return the IRS usually asks of US companies with foreign owners. It is filed even if the company had no income, and not filing it can lead to penalties. We do not file tax returns: Fae reminds you it exists and recommends reviewing it every year with an accountant.

Can I convert my LLC to a C-Corp later?

Yes, it is a common path when a company starts to raise money. It is a separate filing with its own cost, and worth discussing first with a lawyer or accountant.

Can I change the name or the state after filing?

Before paying you can correct anything. After the filing, a new name or a different state is not a service we offer yet: tell Fae what you need, she notes it and the team reviews it with you.

Is an LLC right for you? Fae will go through it with you.

Tell Fae what you want to do and she will tell you what comes next.

Start my company

This is general information, not legal or tax advice.