How are US LLC’s owned by Germans taxed?
A lot will depend on whether or not the income is effectively connected to the US and the tax structure adopted for the LLC.
First of all being a multi-member with foreign ownership the LLC can be treated as a Partnership or a C Corporation. So for example, if a partnership tax format is elected then the reporting responsibilities pass to the partners and the LLC is more of a conduit. If in this same example, a C Corporation is elected then the reporting entity is the LLC which files and pays its own tax.
In either case, the effect of owning a US LLC by a German citizen will impact the German taxation. A careful reading of the US German Tax Treaty will give some guidance as to where the taxation will occur. However, under German tax law, separate criteria are established for the classification of entities and the subsequent taxation of its citizens. There is a strong possibility that given the German rules, double taxation may occur and it is best to seek qualified representation in both countries.

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