Annual Compliance Calendar for US Cos Owned from China

1. Title and bottom line

A US company owned from China is not done after formation and an EIN. Each year you typically need a compliance calendar covering federal information returns such as Form 5472, income-tax returns, state franchise tax and annual reports, and—if applicable—payroll and sales tax. BOI/CTA status has shifted; treat current FinCEN posture, injunction history, and FAQ updates as 待核 before saying BOI is cancelled. This is compliance planning, not a promise of lowest tax or waived penalties.

Build a 12-month board for your entity: disregarded LLC, C-Corp, or other classification; 5472 if foreign related-party reporting applies; federal return and extension dates; state annual report or franchise items; payroll and sales-tax cycles. Exact dates, fees, and penalty dollars are 待核 for the tax year and state.

China HQ teams often incorporate in Delaware or Wyoming, open Stripe, hire in Cary/RTP, or sell on Amazon while finance remains in Shanghai. Missed 5472, late annual reports, or ignored franchise filings compound risk. Separate IRS information returns, state filings, and FinCEN BOI on one calendar and re-verify live guidance.

2. Calendar lanes and self-check

Federal lane: a foreign-owned disregarded LLC often follows 5472 plus pro forma 1120; a C-Corp uses Form 1120; an S-Corp or multi-member LLC has a different path. Form 5472 generally travels with the reporting corporation’s return and a zero-profit year is not automatic exemption. Form 7004 often extends filing, not payment—confirm current rules.

State lane: Delaware franchise tax and annual report; North Carolina annual report and foreign qualification; Wyoming annual report fees. Operating in NC while formed in DE may create multi-state duties. Payroll lane includes 941, 940, W-2/W-3 and state withholding. Sales tax follows economic nexus and marketplace rules, separate from 5472 and franchise tax. BOI/CTA is its own lane and remains 待核; BOI is not Form 5472 or a state annual report.

Self-check: China owner of a single-member LLC should calendar 5472; a DE entity operating in NC should map both states; the first Cary employee requires payroll IDs and 941/W-2 dates; Amazon/Shopify sellers need sales-tax nexus review; anyone past March/April should map missed filings and extensions now.

Action plan: confirm formation state, foreign qualification, EIN and classification; build Federal, State, Payroll, Sales Tax and BOI 核 lanes; assign US/Shanghai owners; close books quarterly; have a CPA review 1120-family and 5472 packages before the spring window. YCL Cary/RTP + Shanghai can build a tailored calendar. Free Consultation.

Disclaimer: general information only, not tax or legal advice; dates, fees, penalties and BOI status are subject to current official guidance and facts.