LLC Filing as a Corporation or Partnership

An LLC is an entity created by state statute. Depending on elections made by the LLC and the number of members, the IRS will treat an LLC either as a corporation, partnership, or as part of the owner’s tax return (a disregarded entity”). LLCs can file Form 8832, Entity Classification Election to elect their business entity classification.

A domestic LLC with at least two members is classified by default as a partnership for federal income tax purposes unless it files Form 8832 and affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation. 

And an LLC with only one member is treated as an entity disregarded as separate from its owner for income tax purposes (but as a separate entity for purposes of employment tax and certain excise taxes), unless it files Form 8832 and affirmatively elects to be treated as a corporation.

If the LLC is a partnership, normal partnership tax rules will apply to the LLC and it should file a Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income. Each owner should show their pro-rata share of partnership income, credits and deductions on Schedule K-1 (1065), Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc. Generally, members of LLCs filing Partnership Returns pay self-employment tax on their share of partnership earnings.

If the LLC is a corporation, normal corporate tax rules will apply to the LLC and it should file a Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return. The 1120 is the C corporation income tax return, and there are no flow-through items to a 1040 from a C corporation return. However, if a qualifying LLC elected to be an S Corporation, it should file a Form 1120S, U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return for an S Corporation and S corporation laws apply to the LLC. Each owner reports their pro-rata share of corporate income, credits and deductions on Schedule K-1 (Form 1120S).