Company services in the USA: formation and accounting, online
A US company for a founder abroad: formation and accounting, the first year in order, what a year costs and who an LLC or a C corporation suits.
Services for a company in the USA, and how long each takes
For the other countries where we register companies, see international company formation.
| Service | When you need it | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Company formation in the USA | At the start | 1 to 10 business days at the state; the EIN generally within 4 business days |
| Accounting in the USA | From the first month | Every month, with Form 1120 or Form 5472 by 15 April |
First year of a US company, in order
- day 11
Type and state
You choose between an LLC and a C corporation and between Delaware, Wyoming and the state where the business works, and we lay out the cost and the tax of each. A company with an office or staff in one state files there.
- day 1 to 22
Name and registered agent
We check the name with the state and arrange the registered agent that state law asks every company to hold.
- 1 to 10 business days3
Filing with the state
We draft the company's articles and its internal rules for your signature in the account, then file with the Secretary of State.
- 4 business days4
EIN
A founder abroad has no social security number, so we fax Form SS-4 to the IRS with the word foreign on line 7b. The IRS faxes the EIN back and charges nothing.
- after the EIN5
Bank, state taxes, first return
The bank asks for the EIN and the formation papers. Our accountant then keeps the calendar, the federal return by 15 April and each state's report or tax on its date: accounting in the USA.
What a US company costs to run for a year
State fees as published in October 2026. Our fees for formation with the registered agent and for accounting with the federal return come in your quote. The quote gives the total of the year. See how our prices work. The guide to Delaware franchise tax counts a corporation's tax by both methods.
| Amount | Line | When |
|---|---|---|
| $110 | Delaware LLC, state fee | once, then $400 a year by 1 June |
| from $109 | Delaware corporation, state fee | once, then a $50 report and franchise tax from $175 by 1 March |
| $103.75 | Wyoming LLC or corporation, state fee online | once, then from $60 a year with the annual report |
| $0 | EIN from the IRS | once |
Who a US company suits, and what you sign
21%Suits a seller, an agency or a startup
An LLC fits a consultancy, an agency, an online shop or one founder's holding. A C corporation, which pays 21% federal tax, fits a startup that will raise money from investors or be sold.
$25,000Less suited to an owner who wants no filings
An LLC with one foreign owner files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 in each year money moves between it and the owner, and the IRS penalty for a missing form is $25,000: Form 5472 for a foreign-owned LLC goes through it line by line. An S corporation takes no non-resident alien as a shareholder.
EINWhat the authorities expect
Every company holds a registered agent with a street address in its state, and the IRS issues the EIN on Form SS-4. A bank asks for each owner of 25% or more. A company that works in a second state pays that state as well.
SS-4What you sign and what we sign
You sign the articles, the operating agreement or bylaws and Form SS-4 in your account on the Legarithm platform, and name us as the IRS's contact. We file, and we prepare each return for your signature.
What clients write about Legarithm
4.8 on Google from 26 reviews.
Questions about a company in the USA
Do I need a US bank account to get an EIN?
No, the EIN comes first. The state registers the company, the IRS issues the EIN, and the bank then asks for it with the formation documents and the identity of each owner of 25% or more.
Does a Delaware company also register in the state where I work?
Yes. It files for foreign qualification there and pays taxes and annual report fees in both states. California charges $800 a year to an LLC and at least $800 to a corporation.
Who signs the federal tax return of a US company owned from abroad?
You do, in your account: an officer signs Form 1120, and a partner or an LLC member signs Form 1065. Our US tax partner signs as paid preparer. We send the return to the IRS, and a foreign-owned LLC's Form 5472 goes by fax.
Does a US company file an ownership report with FinCEN?
Not one formed in the USA: a FinCEN rule in force since 14 August 2026 exempts every domestic company. Only a company formed under foreign law that registers in a state files, within 30 days.
Does Wyoming tax a company's profit?
No. Wyoming has no state tax on profit, a 4% state sales tax and a license tax from $60 with the annual report. Federal tax stays, at 21% for a C corporation.
Which files less each year, an LLC or a C corporation?
The two come close. An LLC with one foreign member files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 by 15 April. A C corporation files Form 1120 by 15 April and pays estimated tax in 4 instalments once it will owe $500 or more.
Get a quote for your company in the USA
Book a 30-minute call about your company
Your consultant Vladyslav Babaiev Opens in a new tab Business Setup Specialist
- We email you the Google Meet link.
- 30 minutes, free, no obligation to order.
- After the call we email you the checklist of documents for your country.
We reply by the end of the next working day with the cost and the dates for your case. The first call is free and confidential.
Updated 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Vladyslav Drapii, Founder.
