The objective of the annual report is three-fold. The annual report keeps the Government informed about all the updates, communicates about all the modifications or changes, & keeps the LLC members informed about the necessary taxes and costs. This article has all the information about Iowa LLC annual report filing in Iowa.
An annual report can be called an address book, as it features all the relevant addresses of the company & the members. This yearly report is a record of all the company’s activities in an entire year. It is also referred to as the Annual Franchise Tax Report because it helps in filing the franchise tax.
On this page, you’ll learn about the following:
Contents of the Annual Report
Typically the annual report filed by an LLC in Iowa (or any other business entity for that matter) will include all the information related to its business & members. The standard contents of the annual report or the annual franchise tax report are
- Office Address of the LLC
- Names & Addresses of the Members & managers.
- Identification Documents
- Social Security numbers of the key members of LLC
- The objective of the business of LLC
- List of all the signatories of the LLC
- Information of the registered agent, if any
Iowa LLC Annual Report
An Annual report is essential for all business types. It authenticates that the information provided to the Secretary Of the State is accurate & updated. The information provided in the annual report helps the State officials to ensure that all the companies pay taxes. The Iowa Annual Report is filed with the Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services.
Does the State of Iowa Require an Annual Report Filing?
It is mandatory for an LLC to file a Biennial Report in the State of Iowa with the office of Iowa Secretary of State. In addition to LLCs, legal entities such LLPs & Corporations are bound to file the Biennial Report.
Annual Report Deadline
The Iowa Biennial Report must be filed every odd year on the 1st of April of every odd year. Every LLC in Iowa must file the Biennial Report to keep the company in good standing.
Penalties for non-filing or late filing
Filing the Biennial Report with the Iowa Secretary of State is essential. The Iowa authorities do not charge any late filing fees but, the delay of more than 60 days can cause dissolution of the LLC.
Why Do LLCs Have to File the Annual Report?
Some of the states are not required to file this yearly report, commonly known as the Annual Report. However, there are some reasons why states should file an LLC Annual Report. Here are some reasons,
To Maintain the Accuracy of the Information
An annual report filed by the LLC has all the updated information about its official addresses & the names or addresses of all its officials. This updated information allows the State authorities to track down any LLC when communicating.
To Provide the Correct Correspondence
Many times, any creditor or other entity willing to transact with the LLC requires the correct correspondence address. If this information (which can only be modified with the help of an annual report) is not updated every year, such entities will not be able to communicate with them.
To Notify the Government About All the Significant Changes
If you have changed your main business address or had new business appointments of managers or members, the annual public information report notifies the State Government Entities about it. So, the next time someone questions a newer reform that you have introduced in your LLC, you will be saved because you had submitted the information with the Government.
To Provide an Activity Log of an LLC
The Annual Report is like an activity log of the LLC. It brings on record; all the transactions, new associations, appointments, etc. & keeps those records intact for all future references.
To Help You With the One-time Filing of Taxes
The annual report is an excellent means to keep you on your toes in case of your dues payment. Every LLC must pay the taxes through the annual report filing. By filing the report on time, the LLC can manage the exemptions & can avoid penalties imposed by the Government.
To Enable the State to Track the Payments
The government authorities use all the information filed through the annual report, for tracking the payment of State Taxes.
How to File a Iowa LLC Biennial Report
The Iowa LLC Biennial Report can be filed online, in person, or it can be filed by mail. The Iowa Biennial Report must be filed biennially on the 1st of April of every odd year.
Time needed: 5 minutes.
Below is the procedure to file the Iowa LLC Biennial Report online.
- Visit Iowa’s Fast Track Filing Site
The Iowa Secretary of State enables Fast Track Filin. Visit the Fast Track Filing Site to log in or create an account. (The Iowa authorities allow to file the report even without the login)
- To file by logging in
-After logging in, select the “File A document” option under the heading “Business Filing”
-Select “Biennial Reports” mentioned under “Existing Businesses”
-A textbox will appear on the screen. Fill in the details of your business.
-Toggle to no in front of paper filing option.
-Click on the Search tab.
-Choose your business name from the results & begin the filing process. - To file without logging in
– On the homepage of Fast Filing, there will be a “Click here to file Biennial Report(no account required) link, just below the login section. Click on that.
-Type the Business name or number in the search box & toggle on no for the paper filing option.
– After clicking on the search button, you will see the business names matching your text. Select your business name from the list & start filing.
Filing Iowa LLC Biennial Report By Mail
To file the Annual Report in Hawaii by mail, follow the below steps,
- Visit the Fast Track Filing Site to log in or create an account.
- You can opt to file without logging in by clicking on the “Click here to file Biennial Report(no account required) link, just below the login section.
- Enter your business name or number in the search box.
- Toggle on yes for paper filing.
- Download the form on your computer.
- Fill the form with correct information.
- Send the printed copies of the forms and relevant documents with the $15 fees to the address: Office of the Secretary of State, First Floor, Lucas Building 321 E. 12th St., Des Moines, IA 50319
Iowa LLC Biennial Report (Domestic & Foreign)
| State Office: | Office of the Secretary of State, First Floor, Lucas Building 321 E. 12th St., Des Moines, IA 50319 Links to Website, Forms |
| Due Date: | Every odd year, by the 1st of April. |
| Filing Fee: | The filing fee for online filing is $45 & filing by mail costs $60. |
| Penalty: | The Iowa authorities do not charge any late filing fees but, the delay of more than 60 days can cause dissolution of the LLC. |
| Filing Method: | The Iowa Biennial Report can be filed online or by mail. |
| Forms: | The form to file the Iowa Biennial Report can be found here. |
| Important Information: | Once the Biennial report is filed with the Iowa Secretary of State with appropriate fees, the process of filing shall be complete. |
How Fast Can I Fill Iowa LLC Annual Report
Deadline for filing biennial reports in Iowa is March 31 by paying a filing fee of $30 for online and $45 by mail.
Filing your Iowa LLC’s annual report is a straightforward process, and you can usually complete it in a matter of minutes. However, the exact amount of time it takes to fill out an Iowa LLC annual report will depend on a few factors, such as the complexity of your LLC and the amount of information you need to include.
Before you begin, take a few minutes to gather the information you’ll need for the report. This includes your LLC’s name, address, federal tax identification number, and the names and addresses of all members and managers. You’ll also need to provide details about any changes to your LLC that have taken place over the past year, including the addition or removal of members or managers, changes to the LLC’s address, or any other major events.
Once you have all the required information, you can begin filling out the annual report. The report itself is relatively simple and consists of a few basic questions about your LLC’s activities, such as whether it has done any business in the past year, whether it has changed its name, and whether it has paid any taxes. The report also includes a few questions about the number of members and managers in your LLC.
Once you’ve filled out the report, you’ll need to submit it to the Iowa Secretary of State. This can be done online or by mail. The online option is typically the fastest, as you can submit your report and pay the filing fee with a single click. The filing fee for an Iowa LLC annual report is $50.
If you choose to submit your report by mail, it will take a bit longer to process. Depending on how quickly the Secretary of State receives your report, it can take up to 10 business days to process.
Overall, if you have all the necessary information on hand, you should be able to complete an Iowa LLC annual report in as little as 10 minutes. If you have to search for information or need to send the report by mail, it could take up to an hour or more. Once you’ve done it once, though, you’ll be able to complete the report quickly and easily in the future.
Seek the Help of a Registered Agent
Every State will have a different rule for filing the Annual Report. Usually, it is submitted every year, but it is submitted once in two years in some states. Some states require the filing of the report only once in ten years.
Not only the timing, the mode of filing, the proper addresses, exemptions, legality, annual report compliance, etc., have to be taken care of while paying the taxes or filing any reports with the State authorities. In many such scenarios, it is advised that an LLC appoints a Registered Agent to manage all this. Check out the best LLC service that offers all the services at an affordable price. An experienced agent is required for:
- Streamlining the mandatory processes & filing.
- Sending or receiving any documents.
- Reminding you about important dates of filing or payment of taxes.
- Simplifying the filing procedures.
- Avoid any penalties.
- Flexibility in working.
- Maintaining Privacy (as it keeps your personal records off the public record)
You can read more about an Iowa Registered Agent here.
FAQs
Yes, an annual report is essential for every business entity in most states. Some states also ask to file biennial or decennial reports to be filed.
A Yearly Business Report or the annual report typically incorporates the address of the business, names & addresses of the members, a list of all the signatories, SSN of the members, & details of the registered agent.
A Registered Agent is well-aware of all the filing requirements, annual report filing fee, & overall Annual Report compliance. The knowledge & proficiency of the registered agent allows the smooth filing of reports & other fees.
The most important thing for filing an Annual Report is record keeping. Make sure that you document every other transaction well.
Yes, the fees may vary depending on the type of entity or the type of legal entity you are representing.
In Conclusion
An LLC has to file many types of reports, such as Application for Reinstatement, Periodic Report of a limited partnership (usually filed by the exempt nonprofit organization), etc., which are required depending on the type of entity. The Annual Report is mandatory irrespective of the entity type. It requires compliance across entities.