Anonymous LLC FAQ

An anonymous LLC is a limited liability company formed in a state that does not require public listing of members or managers on Articles of Organization or annual filings. Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada all permit this. The registered agent appears on public records; the owners do not.

Four US states allow truly anonymous LLCs where members and managers do not appear on public records: Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada. A small set of additional states allow partial anonymity via manager-managed LLC structures.

As of the March 21, 2025 FinCEN interim final rule, domestic reporting companies are exempt from BOI reporting. Foreign reporting companies remain obligated. Non-resident-owned US LLCs are domestic reporting companies and currently exempt. See our BOI status tracker for current status.

Anonymousllc.co typically completes formation in 5-10 days end to end: filing accepted within 1-3 business days, EIN issued within 5-7 days after filing approval, bank account applications submitted concurrently to 4-5 banks with approval averaging 8-10 days after EIN.

Anonymousllc.co pricing: Anonymous LLC $397 all-in (Wyoming-fulfilled). State-specific framing: Wyoming $297 + $100 state ($397 total), New Mexico $297 + $50 state ($347 total - cheapest), Delaware $297 + $110 state ($407 total), Nevada $297 + $425 state ($722 total). Every package includes formation, registered agent year 1, operating agreement, EIN, and applications to 4-5 US banks.

Yes. Non-US residents form anonymous LLCs in Wyoming and Delaware frequently through Anonymousllc.co. EIN does not require SSN - Anonymousllc.co handles EIN acquisition for non-residents as a standalone $99 service or bundled into formation. Banking is more complex but available through Mercury, Relay, Bluevine, and others.

Anonymity for an LLC means owners do not appear on the public state filing records. Anonymity does not extend to federal AML/KYC disclosure to the bank, IRS tax filings, court subpoena response, or BOI reporting where required.

No. Banks must collect beneficial owner information at account opening under the Bank Secrecy Act and Customer Identification Program rules. Your name, address, and SSN/ITIN will be on file with the bank. The bank does not publish this, but it is not state-records anonymous.

Wyoming is the flagship: strongest charging order protection (single-member), no state income tax, well-established banking relationships, $397 total. New Mexico is the cheapest: $347 total, $50 state fee, no annual report, no annual fee. Banking is harder with NM LLCs. Wyoming is better for most use cases; NM for budget-first buyers.

Anonymousllc.co charges $347-$722 total depending on state, or $397 all-in under the Anonymous LLC framing. This includes everything: state filing, registered agent year 1, operating agreement, EIN, and 4-5 bank applications. EIN-only is $99, ITIN $299, BOI filing $150, registered agent standalone $100/year. Most competitors charge formation only, then upsell registered agent, EIN, and banking separately.

Yes. EIN acquisition $99, ITIN application $299, BOI initial filing $150, and standalone registered agent $100/year. All are separately purchasable from formation. The EIN service is the same workflow whether you're a US resident or non-resident.

Yes. Anonymous LLC formation is fully legal in Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada. These four states intentionally do not require public listing of members or managers on Articles of Organization. The structure has been used by US and non-US founders for decades; nothing about it implies tax evasion or unlawful concealment. Federal AML/KYC obligations to banks and the IRS still apply.

No. Anonymousllc.co is a formation and compliance service operated by Topslice LLC. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. For complex asset protection, multi-state structuring, or litigation-driven planning, we recommend pairing our formation service with a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.

Wyoming combines four advantages no other state matches: no public member/manager listing on the Articles of Organization, single-member charging order protection under Wyo. Stat. § 17-29-503(a), no state income tax, and one of the lowest annual report fees in the country ($60). Wyoming has also pioneered LLC law in the US since 1977 and has a deep ecosystem of registered agents, banks, and case law.

Wyoming state filing fee is $100. Annual report is $60/year. Anonymousllc.co charges $297 + $100 state ($397 total), which bundles the state fee, registered agent year one, operating agreement, EIN, and applications to 4-5 banks. The same Wyoming filing is also sold under the Anonymous LLC framing at $397 all-in.

No. Wyoming allows any person anywhere in the world to form a Wyoming LLC. The only physical-presence requirement is a registered agent with a Wyoming street address, which Anonymousllc.co provides through our registered agent partner. Founders form Wyoming LLCs from all 50 US states and from dozens of countries each year - Wyoming has built deliberate non-resident-friendly LLC statutes since 1977, and the registered-agent ecosystem is unusually deep. You will never need to visit Wyoming, set foot in Wyoming, or have any physical presence there. The only Wyoming touchpoint is the registered agent, who exists specifically to satisfy the state's presence requirement on your behalf.

Wyoming Statute § 17-29-503(a) limits a judgment creditor of an LLC member to a charging order against distributions. The creditor cannot foreclose on the membership interest, force a sale of LLC assets, vote the member's interest, or compel a distribution. Wyoming extends this single-remedy rule to single-member LLCs, which is rare and the main reason Wyoming is preferred over many other states.

Yes. Wyoming requires an annual report filed online with the Secretary of State. The fee is $60 minimum (license tax) for LLCs with under $300,000 in Wyoming-located assets. Anonymousllc.co's registered agent service includes annual report reminders.

Yes, but it needs to register as a foreign LLC in any state where it conducts business. If you live in California and run your business from California, your Wyoming LLC almost certainly needs to register as a foreign LLC in California and pay California's $800 franchise tax. This is the most common compliance mistake non-resident-state founders make.

No. Wyoming Articles of Organization require only the LLC name, registered agent name and address, mailing address, and organizer signature. Members and managers do not appear on the formation document or the annual report. The registered agent is the only name on the public record.

Anonymity protects against public-records searches and casual lookups by competitors, journalists, or counterparties. In litigation, a court can compel disclosure of beneficial owners through discovery. The LLC structure still provides liability separation, but Wyoming anonymity is a privacy layer, not a litigation shield.

New Mexico charges only $50 to file Articles of Organization, requires no annual report, and has no annual fee. Total New Mexico LLC cost through Anonymousllc.co is $347 ($297 + $50 state) - the cheapest anonymous LLC available in the US. Wyoming costs $397 total with a $60 annual report. Delaware costs $407 plus $300/year franchise tax.

No. New Mexico is the only US anonymous LLC state without an annual report requirement. Once your LLC is filed, there are no annual filings to the Secretary of State and no annual fees. This makes it the lowest-maintenance anonymous LLC option available - over five years, New Mexico saves $290 in annual-report fees versus Wyoming, $1,200 versus Delaware's franchise tax, and $1,500+ versus Nevada's business license. The trade-off is on the banking side: US fintech banks see meaningfully more Wyoming LLCs in their pipeline than New Mexico LLCs, and a New Mexico filing occasionally triggers an extra documentation round during account opening. For passive-holding LLCs the cost saving is genuine; for actively-banking operating businesses the Wyoming premium pays for itself in faster banking onboarding.

Banking is harder. US banks have less familiarity with New Mexico LLCs and sometimes treat NM-address LLCs as higher-friction during onboarding. Charging order protection is weaker for single-member LLCs in New Mexico than in Wyoming. For pure asset protection, Wyoming or Nevada is stronger. For lowest-cost privacy with light asset protection needs, New Mexico is the right pick.

Yes. New Mexico's Articles of Organization do not require listing of members or managers, only the registered agent. This is the same anonymity mechanism as Wyoming. Members and managers do not appear on any public-facing New Mexico Secretary of State record.

Yes. New Mexico allows non-US residents to form LLCs with no residency or citizenship requirement. The only requirement is a New Mexico registered agent, which Anonymousllc.co provides. Non-resident NM LLC banking is harder than Wyoming or Delaware, however.

$347 total - $297 Anonymousllc.co fee + $50 state filing fee. No annual report. No annual fee. Includes filing, registered agent year 1, operating agreement, EIN, and applications to 4-5 banks. Year 2 cost is just our $100 registered agent renewal.

Delaware has the Court of Chancery - a 200-year-old non-jury business court with judges who specialize in corporate law. Most US venture capital firms require Delaware structure (Delaware C-Corp, but Delaware LLCs are also accepted for early-stage). Delaware case law is the deepest in the US. For founders raising or expecting to raise VC, Delaware is the standard.

Delaware state filing fee is $110. Anonymousllc.co charges $297 + $110 state ($407 total). Delaware also has a $300 annual franchise tax (due June 1 every year) which is separate from formation cost. Total first-year cost is $407 + $300 = $707; subsequent years $300 plus our $100 registered agent renewal.

No. Delaware LLC Certificates of Formation require only the LLC name and the registered agent. Members and managers are not listed on the public Certificate of Formation and not listed on the annual franchise tax filing. Delaware LLCs are anonymous on state records.

Delaware LLCs pay a flat $300 annual franchise tax to the Delaware Division of Corporations, due June 1 each year. This is independent of LLC revenue or member count. (Delaware C-Corps pay a different franchise tax based on shares or assumed par value - much higher.) Late filing triggers a $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest.

Pick Delaware if (a) you plan to raise from US VCs, (b) you expect significant inter-state litigation and value the Court of Chancery, (c) your counsel specifically prefers Delaware, or (d) you intend to convert to a Delaware C-Corp later. Pick Wyoming if you want the strongest charging order protection and lowest annual cost.

Yes. Delaware has no residency or citizenship requirement. Non-US residents form Delaware LLCs through Anonymousllc.co frequently. Banking for non-resident Delaware LLC owners through Mercury, Relay, and similar fintech banks is well-supported.

Nevada Revised Statutes § 86.401 provides charging order protection as the exclusive remedy for judgment creditors against LLC members, including single-member LLCs. Nevada law explicitly disallows judicial foreclosure on LLC membership interests. Combined with no state income tax and no information-sharing agreement with the IRS, Nevada has a strong reputation among asset-protection planners.

Nevada state fees total $425: $75 Articles of Organization filing + $150 Initial List of Managers/Members + $200 State Business License. Anonymousllc.co charges $297 + $425 state = $722 total. This is the most expensive of the four anonymous states because of Nevada's high state fees, not because of our markup.

Nevada LLCs pay $200 annually for the State Business License renewal plus $150 for the Annual List. That is $350/year recurring, which is the highest annual cost of any anonymous LLC state. Wyoming is $60. New Mexico is $0. Delaware is $300.

Partially. Nevada's Articles of Organization do not require listing of members. However, the Initial List of Managers/Members filed at formation does list managers (or members if member-managed) and is a public record. To maintain anonymity, the LLC must be manager-managed with a nominee or trust as the manager - which Anonymousllc.co can structure on request.

Pick Nevada only when (a) you have specific Nevada-licensed legal counsel directing the structure, (b) you want belt-and-suspenders asset protection beyond what Wyoming provides, or (c) you have Nevada nexus already. For most founders, Wyoming provides equivalent asset protection at less than half the annual cost.

No. Nevada has no state corporate income tax, no state personal income tax, and no state franchise tax. The cost burden is in the annual business license and list filing, not in income-based taxation. Nevada funds itself substantially through casino revenue, sales tax, and business-license fees - the LLC annual cost reflects that revenue model rather than any genuine increase in compliance complexity. For high-revenue LLCs, the zero state income tax is meaningful; for small operators, the $350 in mandatory annual fees exceeds what the state-income-tax saving would have been at lower revenue levels, which is why Wyoming (also zero state income tax, $60 annual report) is the cheaper functional equivalent for most use cases.

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number - a 9-digit federal tax ID assigned by the IRS to a business entity. It functions like an SSN for the LLC. EINs are required to open US business bank accounts, file federal tax returns, hire employees, and contract with US-based vendors. Every LLC needs one.

No. The IRS issues EINs to non-US residents without requiring an SSN or ITIN. The application is filed on IRS Form SS-4. For non-residents, the form is submitted by fax or mail with the 'responsible party' identified by foreign passport. Online EIN application requires an SSN/ITIN and is therefore US-resident only. Anonymousllc.co handles the non-resident workflow.

US residents (applying online): same day. Non-residents (fax-filed SS-4): 5-14 business days. Anonymousllc.co bundles EIN into every formation package and runs the application concurrently with state filing, so EIN is issued 7 days after LLC approval on average.

The IRS does not charge for issuing an EIN. Anonymousllc.co's EIN acquisition service is $99 standalone or bundled (no separate charge) into every formation package. We file the SS-4, follow up with IRS, and deliver the EIN approval letter (CP 575). $99 covers the time and process management; the IRS portion is free.

An EIN itself is not cancellable in the way a state filing is - the IRS retains the number indefinitely. However, the IRS can mark the EIN as 'inactive' on its records if no tax returns are filed. To formally close the IRS account, you write the IRS a letter requesting closure. The number is never reassigned.

No. Non-resident EIN applications use the LLC's state-of-formation registered agent address plus the founder's foreign mailing address. Anonymousllc.co's registered agent service provides the US address required on the SS-4. The IRS will mail the EIN approval letter (CP 575) to that US address; we forward it to you.

The EIN is issued to the LLC. Your name appears on the SS-4 only as the 'responsible party' - the person controlling the entity. The responsible party is a separate concept from public-records ownership; it is required by the IRS for tax-administration purposes but is not published on any public IRS or state record.

ITIN stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number - a 9-digit personal tax ID issued by the IRS to individuals who are required to file US tax returns but are not eligible for an SSN. ITINs are needed by non-US-resident LLC owners to file personal Form 1040-NR returns, get a US tax refund, or verify identity with PayPal, Stripe, and certain banks.

No, not for the LLC itself - the LLC uses its EIN, not the owner's ITIN. You need an ITIN if (a) you personally have US-source income requiring a 1040-NR filing, (b) you want to claim a tax-treaty benefit, (c) PayPal/Stripe specifically requires it for personal identity verification (rare), or (d) you want to open a personal US bank account. For pure LLC operations through Mercury/Relay, an ITIN is not required.

Standard IRS turnaround is 8-12 weeks from receipt of Form W-7 with supporting documents. Faster processing is possible through a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) but the IRS-side wait remains the bottleneck. Plan ITIN around tax-filing deadlines, not LLC formation deadlines.

Anonymousllc.co's ITIN application service is $299. This covers Form W-7 preparation, document review, certified passport copy guidance, and IRS submission. The IRS does not charge for ITIN issuance; the $299 covers our preparation and management of the 8-12 week process.

The primary document is a certified copy of your foreign passport (certified by the issuing authority, by a US embassy, or by a Certified Acceptance Agent). Form W-7 plus a tax-return attachment is required as the formal reason for applying. Anonymousllc.co guides you through the certified-copy step country-by-country.

No. US banks must collect beneficial owner information at account opening under the Bank Secrecy Act and FinCEN's Customer Identification Program rules. Your name, address, ID document, and SSN/ITIN/passport are on file with the bank. The bank does not publish this. Anonymity protects against state-records searches, not against AML/KYC reporting inside the financial system.

Mercury and Relay are the most reliable approvals for non-resident-owned LLCs. Bluevine works for US-resident operators. Anonymousllc.co applies to 4-5 banks for every formation to maximize approval probability - we don't bet on one bank, we diversify. Approval rates vary by founder country, business model, and documentation quality.

Yes, with the right banks. Mercury accepts non-resident-owned LLCs from most countries. Relay is similar but slightly more conservative. Documentation required: EIN approval letter (CP 575), formation documents, operating agreement, founder ID (passport accepted), and proof of address. Some countries face heightened review (Pakistan, Nigeria, parts of MENA) - Anonymousllc.co tracks current approval patterns.

No. Mercury, Relay, and Bluevine all open accounts fully remotely. You complete the application online, upload documents, and verify identity via video or document upload. Anonymousllc.co handles the application logistics. Some traditional banks (Chase, Bank of America) require in-person - we do not recommend those for non-residents.

Because Anonymousllc.co applies to 4-5 banks concurrently, a Mercury rejection is rarely terminal. Relay, Bluevine, and our backup partners pick up the rejected applications. We provide a banking-outcomes review after all responses are in. If all banks reject (rare - under 5% of cases), we work with you on documentation improvements or alternative routes.

Yes. Mercury supports mobile check deposit via the iOS/Android app. Relay supports check deposit via mail-in for amounts above certain thresholds. ACH and wire transfers are the primary fund-flow methods for both. Neither bank supports cash deposit, which is uncommon for online-first businesses.

BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) reporting is the disclosure required under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) to FinCEN, identifying beneficial owners of certain US business entities. The report is filed via boiefiling.fincen.gov and is non-public - accessible only to authorized law enforcement and financial institutions with consent.

Under the March 21, 2025 FinCEN interim final rule, domestic reporting companies are exempt from BOI reporting. Foreign reporting companies (entities formed outside the US that have registered to do business in a US state) remain obligated. Non-resident-owned US LLCs formed in Wyoming/NM/DE/NV are domestic reporting companies and currently exempt. See our /boi/status-tracker/ page for the current authoritative status.

BOI is filed to FinCEN only. FinCEN data is non-public and not searchable by journalists, civil litigants, or competitors. The only routes to BOI disclosure are (a) a specific law-enforcement request with statutory authority, (b) a financial institution with explicit BO consent for CDD purposes, or (c) certain federal regulators. BOI does not appear on the public state record or in any commercially-available database.

Civil penalty up to $591/day (inflation-adjusted, originally $500/day under the CTA) and criminal penalty up to $10,000 and/or 2 years imprisonment for willful violation. Under the current March 2025 IFR, domestic reporting companies face no penalty because the obligation has been removed. Foreign reporting companies remain at risk and must file.

Yes. BOI Initial Filing is $150 per entity. This covers FinCEN portal submission, beneficial-owner intake, ID-document upload, and confirmation. Updates and corrections (within the 30-day update window) are included for the first filing year. See our BOI status tracker page first to confirm whether your entity is currently obligated.

A charging order is a court order directing distributions from an LLC to a judgment creditor of a member. In a charging-order-only state (Wyoming, Nevada), the charging order is the creditor's exclusive remedy - they cannot foreclose on the membership interest, force a sale, vote the interest, or compel distributions. The LLC continues to operate normally; the creditor waits for distributions that the manager controls.

It depends on the state. Wyoming explicitly extends charging-order-only treatment to single-member LLCs (Wyo. Stat. § 17-29-503(a)). Nevada does the same. Delaware's protection for single-member LLCs is weaker - courts have allowed foreclosure in some cases. New Mexico's protection for single-member LLCs is also weaker. For asset protection with a single-member LLC, Wyoming and Nevada are the strongest choices.

An LLC separates business from personal liability. If the LLC is sued, personal assets (home, savings, personal car) are protected from a business judgment. The LLC does not protect from personal liability - if you personally caused the harm (negligence, fraud, personal guarantee), the LLC veil does not save you. Operate the LLC as a real business: separate bank account, signed contracts in the LLC name, no commingling.

When personal liability is severe (you personally caused the harm), when the creditor is the IRS (LLC veil does not block tax liens), when fraudulent conveyance is alleged (you moved assets into the LLC after the claim arose), or when a court applies veil-piercing because the LLC was not operated as a separate entity. For high-net-worth or high-liability situations, layer an LLC with a domestic asset protection trust or offshore structure under attorney guidance.

Wyo. Stat. § 17-29-503(a) is the Wyoming LLC charging order statute. It states the charging order is the 'exclusive remedy' a judgment creditor of a member may pursue against the member's transferable interest. The statute explicitly applies to single-member LLCs and is one of the strongest charging-order-only protections in US law. This is the legal foundation of Wyoming's asset-protection reputation.

A single-member LLC is a disregarded entity by default - taxed as if the owner directly owned the assets and earned the income (sole proprietorship for US persons; Form 1040-NR + Schedule C or Form 1120-F for non-residents depending on US activity). Multi-member LLCs are taxed as partnerships by default (Form 1065). LLCs can elect to be taxed as a C-Corp (Form 8832) or S-Corp (Form 2553).

Only if you are a US person, the LLC has consistent profit above $50k/year, and you can pay yourself a reasonable salary. S-Corp election can reduce self-employment tax on the distribution portion. Non-US residents cannot elect S-Corp status - it requires US citizens or US tax residents as owners. For non-resident LLCs, S-Corp election is not an option.

Yes, if your LLC is a single-member US LLC owned by a foreign person and has any reportable transaction during the year (including capital contributions and intercompany transfers). Form 5472 must be filed with a pro-forma Form 1120 by April 15 (or June 15 with automatic extension). Penalty for non-filing is $25,000 per failure. Anonymousllc.co's tax-compliance team handles Form 5472 preparation on request.

Wyoming has no state income tax - neither corporate nor personal. New Mexico has state income tax but most non-resident LLCs with no NM-source income owe nothing. Delaware has corporate income tax (8.7%) only on income earned in Delaware - pass-through LLCs operated outside Delaware owe nothing beyond the $300 franchise tax. Nevada has no state income tax. The key risk is your operating state, not the formation state - California, New York, and similar states aggressively tax non-resident LLCs operating in their territory.

Wyoming: no income tax filing required. New Mexico: an information return may be required if you have any NM activity. Delaware: $300 annual franchise tax filing is required regardless of income; LLCs with no Delaware income do not file a Delaware income return. Nevada: no income return; the $350 annual business license / list filings are the only recurring state filings. Anonymousllc.co's compliance reminders track these by state.

No. Anonymous LLC formation is not a tax strategy - it is a privacy structure. US-source income earned through the LLC is subject to US federal income tax regardless of the formation state. Non-US-source income earned by a non-resident-owned LLC may be outside US tax (effectively connected income rules apply). Tax planning for non-residents is independent of the anonymity layer and should be coordinated with a US-licensed tax advisor.

A registered agent is a designated person or entity with a physical address in the LLC's formation state who accepts service of process (lawsuits, subpoenas) and official state correspondence on behalf of the LLC. Every US LLC is required by law to have a registered agent in its formation state. Without one, the state will administratively dissolve the LLC.

You can if you have a physical street address in the formation state and are available during business hours. However, doing so means your personal name and address become the public registered agent record - which defeats the anonymity purpose of forming a Wyoming/NM/DE/NV LLC. A third-party registered agent is what keeps your name off public records.

Anonymousllc.co's registered agent service is $100/year per LLC. The first year is included in every formation package at no additional charge. Year 2 onward is the $100 renewal. Standalone registered agent (for an LLC already formed elsewhere - switch to us) is also $100/year. Most competitors charge $125-$300/year.

File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the LLC's state Secretary of State. Wyoming, NM, DE, and NV all have online filing portals - the fee is $0-$50 depending on the state. Anonymousllc.co handles the filing for you as part of the $100/year standalone registered agent service. Switching takes 1-3 business days from your authorization.

The registered agent's address is for service of process and state correspondence only - not general business mail. For general business mail, you need a separate mailing address. Anonymousllc.co's registered agent service includes forwarding of state correspondence (annual reports, certificate notices, tax forms) to you by email or scan. A separate virtual mailbox is recommended for marketing mail, vendor invoices, and customer correspondence.

An operating agreement is not required to be filed with the state in Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, or Nevada. However, it is legally required to exist for the LLC to function as a separate legal entity in court, to satisfy bank onboarding requirements, and to define rights between members. Operating without one means default state rules apply, which are unfavorable.

Our standard operating agreement (included in every formation package) covers: member identification and ownership percentages, management structure (member-managed vs manager-managed), capital contributions, distribution rules, voting rights, transfer restrictions, dissolution provisions, and signatures. It is reviewed by US-licensed counsel and updated for current state-by-state requirements.

Yes. All four anonymous LLC states (WY, NM, DE, NV) allow multi-member LLCs. Members are not listed on public records - they are listed only in the private operating agreement and in IRS Form 1065 partnership returns. Multi-member LLCs have stronger charging order protection than single-member in some states (a creditor's interference with another innocent member's interests is harder to justify).

Series LLCs are available in Delaware and Nevada but not in Wyoming. New Mexico does not have a series LLC statute. A series LLC creates internal 'series' with separate assets and liabilities under a single parent LLC. Asset-protection treatment of series LLCs is still developing case law. Anonymousllc.co supports series LLC formation in Delaware and Nevada on request; pricing is custom.

5-10 days end-to-end. Filing accepted within 1-3 business days. EIN issued 5-7 days after filing approval. Bank applications submitted concurrently with EIN - approval averages 8-10 days after EIN. Total: 10-14 days from intake to bank account live. Wyoming is fastest; Delaware second; New Mexico and Nevada slightly slower depending on state processing queue.

Standard intake (15-20 minutes via WhatsApp or form): your legal name, mailing address, 3 proposed LLC name options, member structure (single vs multi, and member list with ownership %), use case (the type of business you'll operate), and ID document (passport or driver's license). EIN intake adds responsible-party identification. Banking adds business model summary.

Anonymous LLC formation involves jurisdiction selection, multi-state nuances, banking eligibility, and document gathering that doesn't fit a one-click checkout. Most buyers have 2-5 questions before they're ready to pay. WhatsApp lets us answer those in 30 minutes, lock the formation plan, and then send a Stripe payment link. Buyers who already know exactly what they want can pay directly via Stripe - links are provided on each service page.

(1) You receive an intake form within 1 hour. (2) Once intake is complete, the LLC name is reserved (if needed) and filing is submitted same-day or next business day. (3) State approval triggers EIN application. (4) EIN approval triggers bank application submissions. (5) You receive formation documents, EIN letter, operating agreement, and bank account links as each milestone completes. Status updates over WhatsApp.

Two framings serve two buyer mindsets. Anonymity-focused buyers ($397 all-in for Anonymous LLC) want one price and don't care which state - we fulfill in Wyoming on the backend. State-aware buyers (Wyoming $297 + $100 state, NM $297 + $50, DE $297 + $110, NV $297 + $425) expect the state fee broken out separately because that's how state-of-formation comparisons are normally presented. The same Wyoming filing is sold under both framings for $397 total - no double-dip.

State filing, registered agent year 1, operating agreement, EIN, and applications to 4-5 US banks. No upsells for the items most competitors charge separately for. Operating agreement is reviewed by US-licensed counsel. EIN is filed by Anonymousllc.co as third-party designee with no additional fee.

We accept USDC and USDT for buyers who prefer crypto. Standard payment is Stripe (credit card, ACH, wire transfer in some regions). Crypto payment is invoice-based - request the option during WhatsApp intake and we provide a wallet address. Pricing is the same in either currency.

Full refund before LLC filing is submitted (24-48 hours after payment). Once the state filing is submitted, the state fee is non-refundable but the Anonymousllc.co service fee is refundable proportional to work completed. EIN, banking, and operating agreement work is non-refundable once delivered. Disputed charges are handled case-by-case - we have a long pattern of resolving in the customer's favor when something goes wrong on our side.

No. Year 1 cost is whatever you pay at intake. Year 2 onward is the registered agent renewal ($100/year) plus the state's annual fee (WY $60, NM $0, DE $300 franchise tax, NV $350 license + list). Anonymousllc.co never auto-charges your card without a renewal email confirmation first. We list every fee on every service page - no asterisks.

Yes. Switching registered agent to Anonymousllc.co is a one-form filing with the state Secretary of State. Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada all accept online change-of-agent filings. State filing fees range from $0 (Wyoming, New Mexico) to $50 (Delaware, Nevada). Our standalone Registered Agent service is $100/year and includes the change filing at no additional charge. Switching takes 1-3 business days from your authorization. Your existing LLC keeps the same EIN, the same bank account, and the same operating agreement - only the registered agent line on the state record changes.

Yes, via a process called domestication (or conversion, in some states). California allows an LLC to convert to a Wyoming LLC via a Plan of Conversion filed in both states. The Wyoming LLC inherits the original EIN, contracts, and bank accounts - no need to re-form. This is more involved than a fresh formation and takes 4-6 weeks plus state filing fees in both California and Wyoming ($200-$300 combined). We handle the workflow on a custom-quote basis; pricing is $599-$799 depending on complexity. The motivation is to escape California's $800 minimum franchise tax (which still applies if the LLC operates in California, even after re-domiciling) or to gain Wyoming's anonymity. Discuss the tax treatment carefully with a CPA before pulling the trigger.

Yes. Delaware and Wyoming both have LLC conversion statutes. Delaware files a Certificate of Conversion (about $200) and Wyoming files Articles of Domestication. The Delaware LLC ceases to exist as a Delaware entity and continues as a Wyoming LLC, keeping the same EIN. Process takes 2-4 weeks. Typical cost through us is $499-$699 depending on whether the LLC has multiple members and intercompany contracts that need updating. Motivation is to drop the $300/year Delaware franchise tax or to upgrade single-member charging-order protection.

Yes. Take-over is a registered-agent change plus optional banking and compliance handoff. Switching the RA is $100/year via the standalone RA service. If you want us to also handle the EIN ownership update, BOI filing (if applicable), and bank-account re-applications (because the original service did not include banking), we quote that separately - $250-$400 depending on scope. The LLC itself stays exactly where it was filed. You do not re-form.

Yes. The structure change requires (a) amending the operating agreement and (b) in some states, filing an amendment to the Articles of Organization. Wyoming and New Mexico do not list managers on Articles, so the change is purely internal - operating-agreement amendment only. Delaware Certificates of Formation do not list managers either. Nevada is the exception: the Initial List of Managers/Members is a public filing, and a change requires a corrected List filed with the state ($150). We handle the workflow at $200-$300 depending on state.

Pick a different name. State LLC name databases are public - every state requires unique LLC names within the state, and a duplicate or confusingly similar name will be rejected on filing. Our intake asks for three name options, ranked. If the first is taken, we file with the second; if the second is taken, the third. If all three are unavailable (rare), we message you on WhatsApp before submitting. Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada all run online name searches that take seconds.

Yes, in Wyoming and Delaware. Wyoming allows name reservation for 120 days for $50. Delaware allows reservation for 120 days for $75. New Mexico and Nevada do not have a common name-reservation process for LLCs. Reservation is useful when you want to lock the name while finalizing your member list, raising money, or coordinating with counsel. We handle reservations as a $99 add-on covering the state fee and our filing labor.

Yes. A DBA (Doing Business As) - also called a trade name, assumed name, or fictitious name - lets your LLC operate under a different public-facing name. The LLC itself stays anonymous; the DBA is a public filing in the state or county where the DBA is registered. DBAs do create some public record, but the registered LLC owner of the DBA may still be only the LLC entity (not the human members), preserving the upstream anonymity. DBA filings vary by state and county - $20-$80 typical. We can file on request for a $99 service charge.

No. LLC names must include an LLC designator - 'LLC,' 'L.L.C.,' or 'Limited Liability Company' - and may not include corporation designators ('Inc,' 'Corporation,' 'Co.' without LLC). The four anonymous states all enforce this. Some names also trigger restricted-word reviews: 'Bank,' 'Insurance,' 'Trust,' 'University' require special licensing or are blocked entirely.

No, not directly. Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada all require the LLC organizer (the person signing the Articles) to be at least 18. A minor can be a beneficial owner of an LLC, but the organizer and any active manager must be an adult. A common workaround is for a parent or guardian to organize the LLC and serve as manager, with the minor as a member. This requires careful operating-agreement drafting to define when control transitions. Coordinate with a US attorney for any minor-as-member structure.

Yes. Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and asset-protection trusts can all hold LLC membership interests. This is a common estate-planning and asset-protection structure: a trust owns the LLC, and the LLC owns the operating assets. The trust itself is a separate document; the LLC's operating agreement simply lists the trust as the member. None of this is public record in Wyoming, NM, DE, or NV. We support trust-as-member formations at standard pricing; the operating agreement is customised on request.

Yes. A foreign corporate entity (Cayman exempted company, UK Ltd, Singapore Pte Ltd, BVI BC, etc.) can be a member of a US LLC. This is a standard cross-border structure. The US LLC's operating agreement names the foreign entity as the member; the foreign entity's own ownership remains governed by its home-jurisdiction laws. EIN is obtained for the US LLC normally; the responsible-party block on Form SS-4 references the human individual ultimately controlling the foreign entity. Form 5472 reporting obligations apply to the US LLC if there are reportable transactions with the foreign owner.

Yes. An LLC can custody cryptocurrency exactly like any other asset. The wallets are owned by the LLC, the keys are controlled by the LLC's authorized signatories, and transactions are recorded on the LLC's books. The LLC structure provides liability separation from your personal estate and centralizes crypto holdings inside a defined entity for tax-filing purposes. Wyoming is the most crypto-friendly state by statute - Wyoming has explicitly recognized digital-asset property rights under several pieces of 2019-2021 legislation.

Wyoming's 2021 DAO LLC statute (Wyo. Stat. § 17-31-101 et seq.) allows a Decentralized Autonomous Organization to be organized as a specific type of LLC. The DAO LLC is a niche structure for genuinely on-chain-governed organizations where token holders vote on operational decisions via smart contract. For most crypto-holding founders running ordinary investment, trading, or operating activity, a standard Wyoming LLC is the correct structure - not a DAO LLC. The DAO LLC adds compliance complexity (algorithmic management, on-chain governance disclosure) that is unnecessary for a wallet-holding entity.

Sometimes. Mercury and Relay are both fintech banks with risk frameworks tuned for general business activity, not high-volume crypto trading. Occasional wires to Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, or other regulated US exchanges are fine. High-volume crypto trading (multiple wires per week, large round-number amounts, fast in-and-out patterns) triggers account review and sometimes closure. For active crypto trading, a specialized crypto-aware banking partner is a better fit; for a holding LLC making occasional fiat-to-crypto conversions, Mercury and Relay work.

An LLC is a pass-through entity by default (unless taxed as a C-Corp by election). Crypto gains and losses flow through to the members and are taxed at member level on the same federal rules (short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains, ordinary income for mining/staking/yield where applicable). The LLC wrapper does not change the tax character. It does centralize record-keeping and create a clean audit trail. Form 8949 + Schedule D for US members; Form 1040-NR for non-resident members where ECI rules apply. Coordinate with a crypto-aware CPA.

Yes. NFTs are a digital asset; an LLC can own them exactly like any other digital asset. The wallet that holds the NFTs is owned by the LLC. The benefit is liability and identity separation: the on-chain wallet address is associated with the LLC, not with your personal name. Marketplace identity (OpenSea, Magic Eden, etc.) can also be set up under the LLC. Note that on-chain wallet activity is itself public on the blockchain - anonymity at the state-records layer does not translate to on-chain pseudonymity unless the wallet itself was created cleanly.

For meaningful asset protection, yes - one LLC per property is the standard structure. Each LLC isolates the liability of one property from the others; a slip-and-fall lawsuit against property A cannot reach property B if they are in separate LLCs. The downside is administrative load: multiple LLCs to renew, multiple bank accounts, multiple tax returns. A common compromise is to bundle 2-3 properties per LLC for portfolios under five properties, then one-per-LLC above that. Wyoming or New Mexico are the typical choices because of low annual cost.

You can own the property through a Wyoming LLC, but the LLC will almost certainly need to register as a foreign LLC in the state where the property is located. A Wyoming LLC owning a Florida rental needs to register as a foreign LLC in Florida and pay Florida's annual filing fees. The Wyoming layer is still useful for charging-order protection and anonymity at the federal/Wyoming level, but the property-state filing is required. This is the most common compliance gap for first-time real estate LLC owners.

It depends on portfolio size and goals. The typical sophisticated structure is a Wyoming parent LLC (anonymous, holds the membership interests of subsidiary LLCs) plus per-property subsidiary LLCs in the state where each property sits (or in Wyoming/NM if state-of-property allows). The Wyoming parent provides upstream anonymity and charging-order protection; the per-property LLCs provide downstream liability isolation. For portfolios under three properties, the holding layer is overkill. Above five properties, it becomes meaningfully valuable.

Conventional residential lenders (Fannie/Freddie-backed) do not lend to LLCs. They lend to individuals, and the individual then quitclaims the property to the LLC after close - which technically triggers the due-on-sale clause but is widely tolerated in practice for small portfolios. DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) lenders and portfolio lenders do lend to LLCs directly, including anonymous LLCs - they may ask for a personal guarantee from the beneficial owner. The anonymity layer does not prevent lender due diligence; it prevents public-records anonymity, which is different.

It does not. Property tax is assessed against the property at the county level based on the property's assessed value, regardless of ownership structure. The county tax bill is sent to the LLC's registered address (the registered agent). Income tax on rental income depends on where the property is located and where the LLC members are tax residents - the LLC wrapper does not change the underlying state-of-property income tax treatment.

Yes. The USPTO accepts LLCs as trademark applicants and registrants. Application is filed in the LLC's name; the LLC becomes the owner of the registered mark. Trademark records at the USPTO are public - the LLC name and address appear on the registration. Member names do not appear on USPTO filings unless required for a specific reason (e.g., a sworn declaration where the human signer is named, but only as the signer, not as the public owner). The anonymity layer holds at the state level; USPTO public records show the LLC, not the human.

For valuable trademark portfolios, yes. A standard structure is a holding LLC that owns the trademarks and licenses them to one or more operating LLCs for a royalty. This achieves three things: (a) liability separation - a lawsuit against an operating LLC cannot reach the trademark asset, (b) clean valuation of the IP for sale or financing, (c) tax planning around the royalty stream (coordinate with a CPA for state-tax treatment, which has gotten more complex post-Wayfair). New Mexico is a common pick for an IP-holding LLC because of the zero annual cost.

An LLC can own patents but cannot be the inventor - inventors must be natural persons under US patent law. The standard workflow is: the human inventors apply, then assign the patent to the LLC at issuance (or earlier, via an assignment recorded with the USPTO). The inventor's name appears on the patent and in USPTO records permanently; the LLC appears as the assignee. Anonymity at the LLC layer does not extend to patent inventorship records. For sensitive IP, this is an important consideration - patent prosecution is a public process.

Without an estate plan, the membership interest passes through your probate estate to your heirs under the state's intestacy rules - and probate is a public proceeding, which can compromise the anonymity layer. With an estate plan, the membership interest can be held by a revocable living trust (the trust owns the LLC interest, and the trust's successor trustee takes over on your death), titled with a transfer-on-death designation in states that allow it, or held by a multi-member LLC with continuation provisions that buy out the deceased member's interest. The right structure depends on your overall estate plan; coordinate with an estate-planning attorney.

Yes, and it is a common structure. The trust becomes the member; the operating agreement is amended to reflect the trust's ownership. During your lifetime, the trust is revocable and you control it, so practical control is unchanged. On your death, the trust becomes irrevocable and the named successor trustee takes over. This keeps the LLC out of probate and preserves anonymity through the transition. The trust document itself stays private. We support trust-membership formations at standard pricing; the operating agreement is customised at no extra charge.

On its own, no. The LLC is a pass-through entity for estate-tax purposes - the value of your membership interest is includable in your taxable estate at fair market value. Valuation discounts (minority discount, lack-of-marketability discount) can apply to non-controlling LLC interests, which can reduce the estate-tax base for estates above the federal exclusion (currently very high). This is a sophisticated planning move that requires a qualified appraisal and an estate-tax attorney - not something achievable through formation alone.

Your LLC is unaffected at the state level - the LLC is registered with the Secretary of State, not with us. The only Anonymousllc.co-dependent service is the registered agent designation, and a registered agent change to a replacement provider is a single state form ($0-$50 fee). Your EIN, operating agreement, bank account, and entity status all continue independently. If we ever wound down, we would provide 90+ days notice and assist with the RA transition; we would not abandon registered customers. Topslice LLC also retains a tail of obligations under standard formation-industry practice.

Switch agents immediately. State filings, lawsuit service, and tax notices delivered to your registered agent are time-sensitive - a missed annual report can trigger administrative dissolution within 60-90 days. Our registered-agent SLA includes forwarding of all state and legal correspondence within 24 hours by email scan. If you ever experience a forwarding lapse, message us on WhatsApp first; if the issue is unresolved, the change-of-agent form is the remedy.

Yes. Anonymousllc.co retains formation documents (Articles of Organization, EIN approval letter, operating agreement) for the duration of the registered-agent relationship and a 7-year tail beyond that. Document re-issuance is no-charge for current customers. You can also pull the Articles directly from the state Secretary of State website at any time - Wyoming, NM, DE, and NV all expose filed Articles publicly (subject to the anonymity provisions of the original filing, which redact member/manager names where applicable).

For founders who are not raising US venture capital, Wyoming wins on almost every axis: lower annual cost ($60 vs $300), stronger single-member charging-order protection, simpler annual report, and equally good non-resident banking through the major fintech partners. Delaware's advantages - Court of Chancery, deep corporate case law, VC familiarity - are only relevant if you are litigating in DE or raising from DE-aware investors. For a content creator, a real estate LLC, an e-commerce operator, or a non-resident SaaS founder not chasing VC, Wyoming is the cleaner pick.

Nevada is funded substantially by business-license revenue. The $200 annual State Business License plus $150 Annual List ($350/year recurring) is the price Nevada charges for the same level of statutory protection Wyoming offers for $60/year. The legal protection is broadly comparable; the cost delta is purely the state's revenue model. For most founders, Wyoming is the better economic pick; for founders directed by a Nevada-licensed attorney for a specific reason, Nevada makes sense.

Yes, but with caveats. You can form a Wyoming LLC and live in California, but the LLC may need to register as a foreign LLC in California if it conducts business there - which California interprets aggressively. Foreign registration triggers California's $800 annual minimum franchise tax. The same dynamic applies in New York, Texas (lighter), Massachusetts, and most high-tax states. For online businesses without physical presence in a specific state, the question is more flexible. Coordinate with a CPA on your specific state-nexus question.

Texas does not require public listing of LLC members on Articles, so Texas itself offers some anonymity, but the public Certificate of Formation does list the governing person (manager or member). For pure anonymity, Wyoming is cleaner. For asset protection, Texas's LLC statute is reasonable but not as well-tested as Wyoming's. If you operate from Texas, a Wyoming LLC may still need to register as a foreign LLC in Texas - adding the Texas Public Information Report annual filing. Pure Texas-resident operating an in-state business: Texas is acceptable. Privacy-focused or out-of-state-operating: Wyoming is the typical answer.

A single-member LLC is treated by the IRS as if the owner directly owned the assets and earned the income - the LLC is 'disregarded' for federal tax purposes. The owner reports the LLC's income and expenses on their personal return (Schedule C for US persons; 1040-NR with appropriate attachments for non-residents). The LLC still has a separate EIN, separate bank account, and separate legal existence; it is only disregarded for federal income tax purposes. State tax treatment varies. The disregarded-entity status does not affect the LLC's liability protection.

Only if (a) you are a US person - non-residents are ineligible for S-Corp election, (b) your LLC has consistent profit above $50,000/year, and (c) you can reasonably defend paying yourself a reasonable salary versus a distribution. S-Corp election (Form 2553) splits LLC income into a salary portion (subject to FICA payroll taxes) and a distribution portion (not subject to self-employment tax), creating a potential payroll-tax saving. The savings are real but small for sub-$50k profit and the additional compliance overhead (payroll, 1120-S, separate state filings) can outweigh the benefit. Coordinate with a CPA.

Rarely. C-Corp election (Form 8832) subjects the LLC to a 21% federal corporate income tax plus a second layer of tax on distributions to owners - the classic double taxation problem. C-Corp election sometimes makes sense for LLCs planning to retain significant earnings for reinvestment, planning a future conversion to a Delaware C-Corp for fundraising, or with specific cross-border tax-planning needs. For an operating small business taking out current earnings, default pass-through treatment is almost always better.

No. The S-Corp election (Form 2553) is filed with the IRS only - not with the state. Your anonymity at the state-records layer is unchanged. The S-Corp election does require the corporation's shareholders (LLC members, in this case) to be identified to the IRS, but IRS records are not public. The election does create a requirement to file Form 1120-S annually and to run a real payroll, which adds compliance overhead but no public-records disclosure.

Mercury is the broader pick: stronger non-resident approval rate, deeper integration with Stripe and other fintech infrastructure, slightly faster account opening, and a more polished app. Relay is the alternative: similar non-resident support, multiple sub-accounts (useful for budgeting or per-property real-estate operators), and a slightly more conservative risk model. We apply to both for every formation. Most customers end up using Mercury as primary and Relay as backup, but specific business profiles (especially real estate with multiple properties) sometimes prefer Relay's sub-account structure.

Bluevine is US-resident only for most account types and offers genuine interest-bearing checking (Mercury's 'Treasury' product is similar but somewhat different). For US-resident operators wanting a real high-yield checking experience plus standard business banking, Bluevine is excellent. For non-residents, Bluevine is not available - Mercury and Relay are the right starting points. Bluevine also has historically been slower to approve unusual business models.

Wise Business is excellent for international payment flows - receiving customer payments in multiple currencies, sending vendor payments internationally, holding multi-currency balances at near-mid-market exchange rates. It is not a US bank in the regulated sense; balances are held at partner banks. For an LLC whose primary activity is cross-border payments (US-billed but vendors paid in other currencies, or international customers paying in their local currency), Wise is the most cost-effective primary or secondary account. We apply to Wise on request for international-focused operators.

In the small number of cases where all four to five bank applications are denied, we run a remediation pass: refresh the documentation, tune the business-model description for the second round, and re-apply to alternative partners (Found, North One, NBKC, regional credit unions, or specialised non-resident-friendly partners). The underlying reasons for denial are (a) founder-country flags, (b) business model that the bank's risk model treats as high-risk (regulated industries, crypto-heavy, adult-content), or (c) documentation gaps. Each is addressable in most cases. We do not abandon the workflow if the first round comes back denied; we keep going. This is included at no additional cost.