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The objective of the annual report is threefold. 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 the Montana LLC annual report filing in Montana.
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.
Content of the Annual Report
Typically, the annual report filed by a Montana LLC (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 the LLC
- The objective of the business of the LLC
- List of all the signatories of the LLC
- Information of the registered agent, if any
LLC Tax Update: Before you file your LLC annual report in Montana, make sure to pay all the tax dues for the year.
Montana LLC Annual Report
An Annual report is essential for all business types. It authenticates that the information provided to the Secretary of State is accurate & updated. The information provided in the annual report helps the State officials to ensure that all the companies pay taxes. The Montana Annual Report is filed with the Montana Secretary of State. Note that the LLC Annual Report is not the same as the Certificate of Good Standing in Montana.
Does the State of Montana Require an Annual Report Filing?
If you have a business in Montana, you must file the annual report with the Montana Secretary of State. This includes all the legal entities, such as C Corporations, Limited Partnerships, and Limited Liability Companies, that are bound to file the Annual Report.
How to File a Montana LLC Annual Report
The Montana LLC Annual Report can only be filed online through Montana Epass. An LLC operating in Montana has to file the Annual report with the Montana Secretary of State on April 15th every year. In Montana, annual reports can be filed with the Secretary of State online by following a few simple steps.
- Step 1: Visit the Montana Government’s Official Website.
- Step 2: Log in to your Epass Account if you have an existing one, or start an Epass by creating a new account.
- Step 3: After logging in to the Epass account, you may close the tab.
- Step 4: After logging in to the Epass account, you remain logged in even if you close the tab. Now open the Secretary of State Site.
- Step 5: On the Secretary of State Page, click on the Business & UCC tab.
- Step 6: Scroll down & click on the File an Annual Report box.
- Step 7: Enter the name of your business in the search box.
- Step 8: Choose your business name from the search results & click on the File my Renewal option in front of it. Start filing the Annual Report.
Monatna LLC Annual Report (Domestic & Foreign)
| State Office: | Montana Secretary of State, PO Box 202801 Helena, MT 59620-2801 Link to Website |
| Due Date: | Annual reports are filed on April 15th every year. |
| Filing Fee: | The Annual Report filing fee is $20. |
| Penalty: | Any business failing to file the report by April 15th; will be charged with $15 late fees & may lose its good standing with the Montana state. Failing to file the annual report altogether may cause the dissolution of the LLC. |
| Filing Method: | Online only. |
| Forms: | No printable form is available because the filing can only be done online. |
| Important Information: | Once a Domestic or Foreign Montana Limited Liability Company submits the Annual Report along with the prescribed fees to the Montana Secretary of State, the filing is said to be complete. |
Annual Report Deadline
As mentioned above, filing the Annual Report is a mandatory requirement even for an LLC. An LLC operating in Montana has to file the Annual report with the Montana Secretary of State on April 15th every year.
Penalties for Non-filing or late filing
Any business failing to file the report by April 15th; will be charged with $15 late fees & may lose its good standing with the Montana state. Failing to file the annual report altogether may cause the dissolution of the LLC.
Tax Structure in Montana LLC
For an LLC in Montana, the tax structure is very simple and flexible. First of all, every LLC has the advantage of a pass-through taxation. On the other hand, an LLC can choose the desired tax structure at the time of formation. There are two ways an LLC can be taxed,
Default Status:
When filing your LLC in Montana, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to select a desirable tax structure. If they do not choose a specific structure, the LLC will be taxed under the ‘Default Status’. That means the tax will be levied based on the number of LLC members.
For a single-member LLC, it is considered a ‘disregarded entity’. This means that a single-member LLC does not have to file a federal income tax return, but the individual (or the LLC member) must file it personally. In the case of a single-member LLC, it is treated as a sole proprietorship.
In the case of a multi-member LLC, it is considered a partnership for tax purposes. Hence, the default status for a multi-member LLC is a partnership firm. LLCs are required to file a separate ‘partnership form’ with the IRS.
LLCs with Spouses: There are specific states (like California) where starting an LLC with a spouse is considered a single-member LLC instead of a partnership or multi-member LLC. In such cases, both husband and wife will be liable to pay taxes
Elective Status:
For an elective status, the LLC can choose the tax structure while filing the formation documents. LLCs in Montana should file a separate tax form if they do not wish to be taxed by default. Many LLCs choose to be taxed as a corporation to enjoy corporate benefits, especially if the LLC is large.
LLCs can choose between S-Corp and C-Corp tax status when filing the formation document in Montana. In that case, the concerned LLC needs to submit a separate form for each type it chooses. For the S-Corp type, Form 2553 must be submitted; for the C-Corp type, Form 8832 must be submitted.
In Montana, there may be local taxes (inquire with the local government body for details) that LLCs must pay to be updated. Make sure to pay and update your tax dues before you file your annual report in Montana.
Annual Report vs Certificate of Good Standing in Montana
The Certificate of Good Standing is a legal document that certifies that an LLC in Montana is in good standing and compliant with all applicable laws. That includes an updated annual report as well. While Annual Reports show if your company is up to date.
They are both similar documents (although not identical) and serve as proof of the company’s good standing. The Annual Report is a domestic document, whereas the Certificate of Good Standing in Montana is a mandatory document if the LLC is going beyond the home state to a foreign state. There are several ways to obtain a Certificate of Good Standing in Montana.
In Montana, the Certificate of Good Standing can be obtained online. You can visit the Montana Secretary of State, log in to the business portal, and request the Certificate of Good Standing. You may need to pay the state fee for this.
A filing fee of $5 (online and by mail) OR $20 (expedited filing) must be paid to the SOS to obtain the Certificate of Good Standing. The amount might be more depending on the number of copies you request. If you request additional copies of documents, you may incur an additional fee.
Request Certificate of Good Standing:
- Online application: Log in to the Montana Secretary of State and apply
- Offline application: Not available
- Fees: $5 (online and by mail) OR $20 (expedited filing)
Why Do LLCs Have to File the Annual Report?
Some states are not required to file this yearly report, commonly referred to as the Annual Report. However, there are several reasons why states require 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 enables state authorities to track down any LLC when communicating.
To Provide the Correct Correspondence
Often, creditors or other entities willing to transact with the LLC require the correct correspondence address. If this information (which can only be modified with the help of an annual report) is not updated annually, such entities will be unable 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 to 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 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.
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 a Montana Registered Agent here.
FAQs
Yes, an annual report is essential for every business entity in most states. Some states also require 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 allow 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.
Additionally, please note that an annual report is not the same as a Certificate of Good Standing in Montana. They might look similar, as many parts of the certificate are the same as those in the annual report; however, it is a completely different document and should be compliant with the filing requirements for the annual report in Montana.