For residents of Finland who own a US LLC

US LLC Owned From Finland: Form 5472, Taxes and Filing

You live in Finland and own a US LLC. Each year it files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120, even with no US income, and the US has an income tax treaty with Finland. This page covers what to file, what to enter as your foreign tax ID, and what the treaty position means for you.

Form 5472Pro forma 1120Treaty: yesW-8BENBE-13

Request a Quote What to File

Quick answer

Do I have to file Form 5472 if I live in Finland and own a US LLC?

Usually yes. The IRS treats a single-member LLC owned from Finland as a corporation for Form 5472, so any money moving between you and the LLC, including the first deposit, triggers Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120. The penalty for missing it is US$25,000. The US has a tax treaty with Finland; that matters for tax on profits, not for this filing.

Prepared by Illuminous Accounting · Sources checked November 11, 2026

At a glance

Yearly US filing: Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120
US tax treaty with Finland: Yes, per the IRS treaty list
Your home tax ID: Your Finnish personal identity code (social security number)
Currency: Convert euros to US dollars; the form is in US dollars
Fees: See our Form 5472 filing service page, or request a quote

The yearly US filings for an LLC owned from Finland

Here is the yearly list for a single-member LLC whose only owner lives in Finland.

Every year with a related-party transaction: Form 5472, attached to a pro forma Form 1120. Forming the LLC, funding it and taking money out all count (IRS instructions). The LLC usually owes no US income tax as a disregarded entity; this is an information return.
Once, soon after you start: the BE-13 survey to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, generally within 45 days of a foreign person setting up or buying a US business (BEA rule).
Every year, to the state: whatever the formation state charges; US LLC annual fees by state lists them.
Only sometimes: Form 1040-NR, when the LLC earns income effectively connected with a US trade or business (IRS).

Missing Form 5472 costs US$25,000 per failure, and a substantially incomplete form counts as not filed.

What we need from an owner in Finland

To prepare the filing for an owner in Finland, we ask for:

Your passport and your home address in Finland
Your tax ID: For a resident of Finland, this is usually your Finnish personal identity code (social security number) (OECD tax ID sheet).
The LLC's formation documents and EIN letter
Bank and payment account statements for the year, so every transfer between you and the LLC can be listed, converted from euros where needed

The IRS wants all amounts in US dollars and the same tax ID used every year (IRS).

Is there a US tax treaty with Finland?

Yes: the IRS lists Finland among the countries with a US income tax treaty (IRS treaty list). The treaty does not remove Form 5472. What it can change is how much US tax applies to the LLC's profit and to payments you receive.

Question	With the treaty	Source
Is the LLC profit taxed in the US?	Generally only the part attributable to a US permanent establishment, such as an office or dependent agent in the US	Form 8833
Do I have to tell the IRS I rely on that?	Yes, on Form 8833 with the return; not disclosing costs US$1,000	Form 8833
Can I get lower withholding on US dividends, interest or royalties?	You can claim it on Form W-8BEN by naming Finland; otherwise 30% generally applies	W-8BEN, Pub 515

Treaty benefits depend on the exact article and on whether you qualify under it, so we check the treaty text before relying on it.

Reporting the LLC in Finland

Finnish founders use a US LLC for games, software and technology products sold in the US.

We do not advise on the tax law of Finland. Your local adviser decides how the LLC is reported at home, and we give them the US returns and numbers so both sides match.

Filing from Finland with us

For an owner in Finland, we prepare the Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120 filing, or the full year for a single-member LLC. Gurleen Kaur, CPA (BC and Washington), prepares and signs. See our Form 5472 filing service for fees, or request a quote.

See our Form 5472 filing service, the annual compliance package and which state to form in.

Treaty and law references for owners in Finland

Plain-language summaries; follow the links for the official text. Article numbers are from the treaty text on irs.gov.

Treaty

The IRS lists the 1989 income tax treaty. General effective date (IRS Table 3): treaty Jan. 1, 1991; protocol Jan. 1, 2008 (IRS treaty documents for Finland; treaty text; IRS Table 3).
Article 4 (Residence), which decides who counts as a resident for treaty benefits.
Article 5 (Permanent Establishment), which defines a US permanent establishment.
Article 7 (Business Profits), under which business profits are taxed in the US only if attributable to a permanent establishment.
Article 10 (Dividends), on dividends.
Article 11 (Interest), on interest.
Article 12 (Royalties), on royalties.
Article 16 (Limitation on Benefits), which sets the tests a resident must meet to claim benefits.
Article 23 (Elimination of Double Taxation), on relief from double taxation.
Treaty benefits for income earned through a fiscally transparent entity, such as a single-member LLC, are decided under section 894 and Treas. Reg. section 1.894-1(d) (IRS Pub 515, Form 8833).

US law

Form 5472: Internal Revenue Code section 6038A and Treas. Reg. section 1.6038A-1; final regulations T.D. 9796 treat a foreign-owned US disregarded entity as a corporation for this purpose (IRS Form 5472 instructions).
US trade or business and effectively connected income: Code sections 864 and 871 (IRS Pub 519).
Treaty disclosure: Code section 6114, Treas. Reg. section 301.6114-1, and the section 6712 penalty (IRS Form 8833).
BE-13: 15 CFR 801.7 (eCFR).

The tax law of Finland itself also applies to you; check it with a local adviser.

Owners in other countries

Every country page uses the same US rules with that country's treaty status and tax ID. See all of them on US LLC tax by country.

Common questions

Is Form 5472 required for an LLC owned from Finland with no income?

Yes, when there was a reportable transaction with you, such as funding the LLC. No income is needed. A missing or substantially incomplete form carries a US$25,000 penalty.

Which tax ID from Finland do you need from me?

Your Finnish personal identity code (social security number). The IRS asks for the same foreign tax ID every year.

Does the United States have a tax treaty with Finland?

Yes. Finland is on the IRS list of US income tax treaties. The treaty can limit US tax on business profits to profits attributable to a US permanent establishment, a position disclosed on Form 8833, and lets you claim treaty rates on Form W-8BEN.

Do I need a Form 1040-NR as an LLC owner in Finland?

Usually only Form 5472 with the pro forma Form 1120 is filed. A Form 1040-NR is needed if the LLC has income effectively connected with a US trade or business, and the treaty may limit US tax to profits attributable to a US permanent establishment.

Sources

Every rule and figure on this page links to the IRS, CRA or other official source it comes from. Amounts change; we re-check them before each engagement.

Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State. Last updated November 11, 2026. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation.

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