Utah LLC Tax Structure – Classification of LLC Taxes To Be Paid

A limited liability company in general does not have to pay any business taxes. When we talk about the classification of LLC taxes in Utah, we know that it is a pass-through taxation structure. Typically, the profit LLC makes passes through the LLC to its members. Based on the profit share, members file their income tax returns. LLCs, unlike other corporations, do not have to pay income taxes based on profit or revenue.

IRS (Internal Revenue Service) allows LLCs to choose their preferable classification of tax at the beginning of the LLC formation. In general, a single-member LLC is taxed as a sole proprietor and a multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership. As there is no fixed tax structure for LLCs, anyone certainly wants to opt for the most beneficial one. Keep reading till the end to know more about the tax structure of a Utah LLC and related aspects.

Classification of Utah LLC Taxes

An LLC is considered a Pass-through Entity because it allows the income to pass through & become self-employment income. The members of the LLC have to pay Self-employment tax or Self-Employment Taxes on any income they earn through the LLC. The LLC has to pay Franchise Tax on its income. In addition to the Self-employment tax, there are some other requirements that an LLC has to consider, such as:

1. Franchise Tax – Franchise tax applies to or levies upon LLCs, C-corporations, & S-corporations. Sole Proprietorship & Partnerships (directly owned by individuals) are exempted from the Franchise Tax. This tax is to be paid with the office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
2. Federal Tax Identification Number – An LLC with employees must obtain a Federal Tax Identification Number. Utah does not have a separate State Tax Identification number.
3. State Employer Taxes – If an LLC has employees on the payroll, it must pay state employer taxes in Utah. These taxes are handled through Utah Workforce Commission.
4. Franchise Tax Report – In Utah, the LLCs file a Franchise Tax Report with the Utah Tax Commission.

Federal Tax Classifications

When LLCs was recognized as one of the types of Business Corporations, IRS did not create a new tax classification just for the LLC. LLCs were allowed to choose from the current tax classifications.

LLC Taxes to be Paid in Utah

According to the Utah classification of LLC taxes, an LLC which is operating in the state of Utah is required to pay the below-specified taxes:

State Income Tax

Any amount you pay to yourself as a business owner is entitled to Utah income tax. These revenues are reflected on your tax return. You’ll be taxed at Utah’s ordinary rates, with regular allowances and deductions available. Employees must likewise pay state income tax. Utah has a 4.95 percent flat tax for all income levels.

State Sales & Use Tax

You may be required to collect sales tax and pay it to the Utah State Tax Commission if you sell tangible goods or certain types of services. The sales tax in Utah is collected at the point of transaction. The current sales tax rate in Utah is 4.85 percent. However, an additional sales tax is levied by some counties, municipalities, and towns. These additional charges are variable, making the total sales tax range from 6.10 percent to 9.05 percent.

State Franchise Tax

This tax is also known as Business Privilege Tax in some states, due to the fact that operating an LLC in a state is a privilege. The state of Utah does not levy any franchise tax. 

Federal Self-employment Tax

Any profit bearer or management of a Utah LLC who turns a profit must pay the Federal Self-Employment Tax. The profits of individual members of management are subject to the federal self-employment tax. The federal self-employment tax in Utah is 15.3%.

Federal Income Tax

Profits earned by your LLC are taxed at the federal level in addition to the state level. Your federal income tax rate is determined by your revenues, your LLC’s industry, the proper LLC tax bracket, reductions, and other several considerations.

Employer & Employee Tax

When you have employees, you have certain employment tax requirements to meet and documentation to file. Employers doing business in Utah must deduct Utah individual income tax from their employees’ salaries, with a few exceptions. At the time of receiving a payout, all LLC employees are required to collect and withhold the Payroll tax. Your employees may be obliged to submit their own tax forms no matter whether you withhold federal and state income taxes or not. 

Default LLC Tax Classification Rules

By default, the LLCs are categorized as below (In both the categories, separate filing of income is not required):

Disregarded Entity (Single-Member LLC)  

A single-member LLC is usually disregarded from the taxes. Hence a single-member LLC is also called a disregarded entity. Under the U.S. tax law, it is assumed that a single-member LLC is owned by an individual (& not by another LLC), so the U.S. tax law levies rules on it as a Sole Proprietor. Single-member LLC’s owner (Sole Proprietor) has to report all the income of the LLC via his own income tax return.

Sole Proprietorship Taxes

As mentioned earlier, the single owner of the LLC is treated as the Sole proprietor of the LLC & has to file the Self-Employment Tax on all of the LLC’s earnings. Utah does not levy State Income Tax, so a single-member LLC must file only the Federal Income Tax.

Partnership (Multi-Member LLC)

Any LLC with more than one owner is referred to as Multi- Member LLC & it is taxed as a partnership by default. Similar to the Single Owner or Single Member LLC, this LLC is also a pass-through entity. This means that the income of the LLC passes through the income of the members & they have to file taxes through their own earnings.

Partnership Taxes

Partnership or Multi-Member LLC has to pay taxes similar to the Single Member LLC. If the Partnership LLC is directly owned by individuals, it is exempted from the Franchise Tax. All the members of the Multi-Member LLC are liable to pay Self-Employment Tax & Federal Income Tax.

Options to Change Default Tax Classification

The LLCs are categorized either as sole proprietorships or as partnerships, depending on the number of members the LLC has. This is the default tax classification applicable to LLCs. However, the LLCs have an option of changing the default classification & opting to register under the following categories for taxation purposes:

C-Corporation

An LLC can prefer to be treated as a C-corporation by filing form 8832 (the Entity Classification Election Form) with the IRS. The C-corporation is a regular corporation that is subject to corporate taxes & it is not a pass-through entity. 

C-corporation Taxes

An LLC taxed as a C-Corporation is not a pass-through entity. In a C-corporation, the members/shareholders/ owners are taxed separately. The shareholders of the C-corporation are taxed twice on the dividends that they earn. The dividends of the shareholders are taxed at the corporate level – with a Corporate Tax filed with Form 1120 & at a Shareholder level – an Income Tax filed with Form 1040. Shareholders are subjected to Federal Income Tax.

S-Corporation

The S-Corporation is the most common type of corporate structure used by small businesses. It was created to provide corporations with limited liability protection while maintaining the benefits of being a separate legal entity. An LLC can prefer to be treated as S-Corporation by filing Form 2553. S-corporations are small business corporations, that choose to pass through the corporate income, losses, deductions, & credits to the shareholders for the purposes of Federal Taxes.

S-corporation Taxes

An S-Corporation is similar to an LLC except that it is treated by the IRS as a corporation for tax purposes. S-Corps do pay corporate income taxes; however, they are still considered disregarded entities for federal tax purposes.

Like an LLC, an S-Corp reports its annual earnings on a separate Schedule E on the member’s personal account. An S-Corp is treated by the IRS much like a partnership for tax purposes. Unlike Partnership, in S Corporation,  the shareholders are required to pay Federal Self Income tax on their share of the company’s profits.

Choosing a Classification for Your LLC

In terms of owners’ protection against liability, perpetual existence, & savings in Taxation, Both LLCs (Limited Liability Companies) & Corporations are very much alike. However, with regard to formalities, Taxation, & capital, LLCs & Corporations differ in Utah. 

Liabilities

Both LLCs and Corporations provide liability protection to their owners. The LLC provides protection against inside liability (towards the employee) & outside liability (towards the creditor). The Corporation usually provides only the inside liability. 

Tax Classification Flexibility

For taxation purposes, an LLC has a choice of being treated as a sole proprietorship, Partnership or C-corporation or S-corporation. A corporation can choose to be treated only as C or S Corporation.

Taxation

As mentioned earlier, the LLC can choose to be treated as a corporation; the Corporation does not have the option of being treated as the LLC. A Utah LLC is subjected to Franchise tax, Federal Income Tax, Sales & Use Taxes & State Employment Taxes (for LLCs that have employees)

A regular corporation or a C- Corporation is subjected to corporate tax, which can be filed through Form 1120 every year. The shareholders have to pay the Income-tax, only when they receive dividends from the Corporation. These dividends are taxed twice at the corporate level (on a corporate form)& at the shareholder level (on shareholder form).

An S- Corporation in LLC is not subjected to corporate taxes. But the shareholders are subjected to Taxation – even if they do not receive any dividends. A member of a Utah S-corporation has to pay Federal Self employment Tax only on his salary; any other profits that he makes through the LLC are not subject to the 15.3% Self Employment Tax.

Classification of LLC Taxes – At a Glance

Points of Difference	LLC	S- Corporation	C-Corporation	Sole Proprietorship
Taxation	As an LLC, by default, there is no tax levied at the entity level. The members’ income or even the loss is passed through to members or owners.	Similar to LLC, no tax is levied on an S-Corporation at the entity level. The members’ income or even the loss is passed through to members or owners.	The C-Corporation is often taxed at the entity level. The Dividends are taxed at the shareholders’ level.	The Sole- proprietorship as an entity is not taxable. The Sole Proprietor pays taxes as an Individual.
Double Taxation	The LLC does not have Double Taxation	There is no Double Taxation in S-Corporation	There is Double Taxation in C-Corporation, only when the Shareholders earn in the form of dividends.	No Double Taxation in a sole proprietorship.
Self Employment Tax	The net income of the members or owners is subject to self-employment tax.	The salaries of the shareholder are subject to self-employment tax, but any other profits that the shareholder makes are not subject to the employment tax.	The C-Corporation is subject to self-employment tax.	The Sole-proprietorship is subject to self-employment tax
Pass-Through Income/Loss	An LLC is often referred to as a Pass-through entity because its income passes through/ passes to its members.	Yes, An S Corporation is a Pass-through Entity.	No, A C-Corporation is not a Pass-through Entity.	Yes, A Sole-proprietorship is a Pass-through Entity.

How Do LLCs Pay Taxes in Utah

Any LLC operating in Utah is liable to pay 2 kinds of taxes- state taxes as well as federal taxes.

Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) have become a popular choice for entrepreneurs and small business owners due to their flexibility, simplicity, and pass-through taxation. Understanding how LLCs pay taxes in Utah is crucial for those who are considering this business structure in the state.

Firstly, it is important to clarify that LLCs, by default, are treated as pass-through entities for tax purposes. This means that the profits and losses of the company pass through to the owners, who then report them on their individual tax returns. This alleviates the burden of double taxation that is often inherent in corporations.

One aspect to take into consideration is that Utah is considered a “conduit state.” This means that the income earned in the state is allocated to LLC members according to their ownership percentage, irrespective of whether the income was derived from inside or outside Utah. So, if an LLC with members in Utah earns income both within and outside the state, all members will be subject to Utah state taxes for their share of the company’s profits.

LLCs in Utah are required to file an annual tax return with the state’s tax authority, known as the Utah State Tax Commission. The tax return, known as form TC-20S, is specifically designed for LLCs and must be submitted even if no tax is due.

Furthermore, LLCs in Utah are subject to the state’s income tax rate, which is currently a flat rate of 4.95 percent. This rate applies to both residents and non-resident members of the LLC. Additionally, Utah levies a franchise tax on LLCs, but it should be noted that this tax does not apply to all types of the LLC, such as professional LLCs.

The level of complexity in LLC tax reporting depends on the number of members and the decision whether or not to elect to be treated as a corporation for tax purposes. When an LLC chooses to be treated as a corporation, it becomes subject to corporate income tax, which is a separate tax entity from its members. This decision may have different financial implications and should be carefully examined with the guidance of a tax professional.

It is important for LLC owners to understand the various deductions and credits that may mitigate their tax liability in Utah. For instance, Utah offers credits for job creation, investments in targeted businesses, and research activities. Additionally, LLC owners should be knowledgeable about potentially available deductions such as business expenses, marketing costs, and ordinary and necessary expenses related to operating the LLC.

Although navigating the tax landscape for LLCs in Utah may seem daunting, it is vital for business owners to familiarize themselves with the tax obligations associated with this business structure. Seeking assistance from a qualified tax professional is highly recommended to ensure compliance and understand the potential savings that can be achieved through appropriate and strategic tax planning.

In conclusion, LLCs in Utah are subject to pass-through taxation by which profits and losses flow through to the individual owners. Familiarizing oneself with the relevant tax forms, rates, and potential deductions is crucial for LLC owners to legally lessen tax obligations and maintain compliance in the state of Utah. Enlisting the help of a tax professional can ease the burden and instill confidence in navigating the intricacies of LLC tax obligations.

FAQ

In Conclusion

Every Tax classification has its own set of benefits & restrictions. Every state will have different taxation rules for each of the categories of business corporations. Depending on the objective of formation of the business entity (Eg. To avoid dual Taxation- one can choose S Corporation, for more flexibility, one can choose the LLC format). It is essential to understand the taxing structure of each country & each Classification; to decide how you wish to treat your LLC.