Tax & Compliance · 2026-04-13
How to File Form 5472 for Your Single-Member LLC: What Your CPA Needs from You
Form 5472 filing is not a DIY project. But your CPA cannot file it without the right documents from you. Here is exactly what to prepare before your appointment: the 8 items your accountant needs, what each one proves, and how to avoid the delays that cause missed deadlines.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for your specific situation.
Form 5472 Is Not a DIY Filing
If you own a single-member LLC as a non-US person, your LLC is classified as a disregarded entity for federal tax purposes. That classification does not mean you have no filing obligations. The IRS requires your LLC to file Form 5472 annually, attached to a pro forma Form 1120 (yes, even though your LLC is not a corporation).
Form 5472 reports "reportable transactions" between the LLC and its foreign owner. This includes capital contributions, loans, payments for services, rent, and other transfers of money or property in either direction.
The form itself is technical. It requires specific formatting, correct entity classification codes, and proper attachment to the pro forma 1120. This is not something you should attempt on your own. A qualified CPA or Enrolled Agent who understands foreign-owned LLCs should prepare and file this form.
But here is what many founders miss: your CPA cannot file Form 5472 without specific documents and information from you. If you show up to your appointment without these items, your accountant will send you back to gather them, and that delay can push you past the filing deadline.
This article is your preparation checklist. Bring these 8 items to your accountant, and the filing process becomes straightforward.
Item 1: LLC Formation Documents
Your CPA needs your Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Formation) as filed with the state. This document confirms:
The legal name of your LLC (must match the EIN letter exactly)
The state of formation
The formation date
The registered agent information
If your LLC name on the Articles of Organization differs from the name on your EIN letter by even one character, this creates a mismatch that can trigger IRS notices. Verify both documents match before your appointment.
Item 2: EIN Confirmation Letter
The IRS issues an EIN confirmation (CP 575 notice or SS-4 confirmation) when your LLC receives its Employer Identification Number. Your CPA needs this to confirm the EIN, the entity name as registered with the IRS, and the entity type classification.
If you have lost your original CP 575, you can request a 147C letter from the IRS, which serves the same purpose. Do this well before your filing appointment, as the IRS can take 4-6 weeks to issue a 147C.
Item 3: Complete Record of Capital Contributions
This is the most critical item and the one most founders are least prepared for. A capital contribution is any money you personally transferred into the LLC. This includes:
Initial funding when you opened the LLC bank account
Any additional deposits from your personal funds into the LLC
Any property or assets you transferred to the LLC
For each contribution, your CPA needs the date, the amount, the source (which personal account it came from), and the currency (if you sent funds in a foreign currency, the exchange rate at the date of transfer matters).
If you made multiple contributions throughout the tax year, list every single one. Form 5472 reports the aggregate, but your CPA needs the detail to ensure accuracy and defend the filing if questioned.
Item 4: Record of Loans Between You and the LLC
Any money flowing between you personally and the LLC that is structured as a loan (not a capital contribution and not a distribution) must be documented and reported. This includes:
Loans from you to the LLC
Loans from the LLC to you
Interest payments on those loans (if any)
Loan repayments in either direction
For each loan transaction, provide the date, amount, terms (interest rate, repayment schedule), and whether a formal promissory note exists. If there is no written loan agreement, tell your CPA. The absence of documentation does not eliminate the reporting requirement, but it does affect how the transaction is characterized.
Item 5: Payments Between You and the LLC for Services
If you performed services for the LLC and the LLC paid you (or owes you), this is a reportable transaction. Similarly, if the LLC performed services and you paid for them personally, that is reportable too.
Common examples:
Management fees paid to you by the LLC
Consulting payments from the LLC to you
Reimbursements for expenses you paid personally on behalf of the LLC
Any payments to entities you control that transacted with the LLC
Provide a summary with dates, amounts, and descriptions of what the payment was for. Your CPA will categorize these into the correct line items on Form 5472.
Item 6: Bank Statements Showing All Transactions
Bring complete bank statements for the full tax year (January 1 through December 31) for every bank account the LLC holds. This includes:
US business bank accounts
Payment processor accounts (Stripe, PayPal, Wise Business)
Any foreign accounts held in the LLC name
Your CPA uses bank statements to verify that the capital contributions, loans, and payments you listed in Items 3-5 are complete and accurate. If your bank statements show a $5,000 deposit from your personal account that you did not list as a capital contribution, your CPA will ask about it. Better to reconcile this before the appointment.
Item 7: Operating Agreement
Your LLC Operating Agreement establishes the ownership structure, member responsibilities, and distribution rules. Your CPA needs this to confirm:
Single-member status (100% foreign ownership)
The member's legal name and country of residence
How profits and losses are allocated
Whether the agreement authorizes the transactions that occurred
If you do not have a written Operating Agreement, inform your CPA. Some states do not require one, but the IRS expects the ownership structure to be documented.
Item 8: Your Personal Information as the Foreign Owner
Form 5472 requires detailed information about the foreign owner. Prepare:
Your full legal name (as it appears on your passport)
Your country of citizenship
Your country of residence
Your foreign address (complete, including postal code)
Your US address (if any)
Your ITIN or SSN (if you have one; if not, your CPA will advise on whether to apply)
Your foreign tax identification number (from your home country)
If you have applied for an ITIN but have not received it yet, tell your CPA the application status and timeline. For more on ITIN applications, see How to Apply for an ITIN as a Non-Resident LLC Owner.
What Your CPA Does With These Items
Once you provide all 8 items, your CPA will:
1. Prepare the pro forma Form 1120 (the corporate tax return shell that Form 5472 attaches to)
2. Complete Form 5472 with all reportable transactions categorized correctly
3. Calculate the aggregate amounts for each transaction type
4. File electronically or by mail (note: pro forma 1120 with 5472 cannot always be e-filed and may need to be paper-filed)
5. Provide you with a copy for your records
The typical timeline from providing documents to completed filing is 1-3 weeks, depending on your CPA's workload and the complexity of your transactions.
Typical CPA Costs for Form 5472 Filing
For a single-member LLC with straightforward transactions (capital contributions, basic payments), expect to pay $300 to $800 for the annual Form 5472 preparation and filing.
Costs increase if your LLC has:
Multiple types of reportable transactions
High transaction volume requiring detailed reconciliation
Multi-state activity
Additional forms required (state returns, FBAR implications)
Get a fee quote before engaging a CPA. Most will provide an estimate after a brief review of your situation. For guidance on selecting the right tax professional, see Finding a Cross-Border Tax Professional.
Common Mistakes That Delay Filing
Incomplete transaction records. If you cannot provide dates and amounts for every transfer between you and the LLC, your CPA cannot complete the form. Reconstruct these from bank statements before your appointment.
Name mismatches. If your LLC name on the Articles differs from the EIN letter, or your personal name differs between your passport and the form, these must be resolved first.
Missing a tax year. Form 5472 is due annually with the pro forma 1120. If you missed a prior year, your CPA needs to prepare late filings for each missed year. The penalty for late filing is $25,000 per form per year. For details on penalties, see What Happens If You Do Not File Form 5472.
Assuming no transactions means no filing. Even if your LLC had zero revenue and zero expenses for the tax year, if you made a single capital contribution (which you almost certainly did to open the bank account), that is a reportable transaction requiring Form 5472.
The Filing Deadline
For tax year 2025, Form 5472 attached to the pro forma Form 1120 is due April 15, 2026. Extensions are available (Form 7004 grants an automatic 6-month extension to October 15, 2026), but the extension must be filed by the original deadline.
Your CPA can file the extension for you if your documents are not ready in time. But the best practice is to provide your documents well before the deadline, giving your CPA adequate time to prepare an accurate filing.
Summary Checklist
Before your CPA appointment, confirm you have:
1. LLC Articles of Organization
2. EIN Confirmation Letter (CP 575 or 147C)
3. Complete capital contribution records with dates and amounts
4. Loan documentation (if any loans exist between you and the LLC)
5. Payment records for services between you and the LLC
6. Full-year bank statements for all LLC accounts
7. Operating Agreement
8. Your personal information: passport name, citizenship, residence, foreign address, ITIN/SSN, foreign tax ID
With these 8 items prepared, your CPA can complete your Form 5472 filing efficiently and accurately. The form is complex, but your preparation does not have to be. For background on what Form 5472 is and why it matters, see What Is Form 5472: Foreign-Owned LLC Tax Filing.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for your specific situation.