Wyoming, Delaware or New Mexico: which state?

The question about the state is asked as though it were about tax. It is about administration. Federally a single-member LLC is transparent wherever it is registered — what differs is the annual duties, the details published, and the cost that follows from them.

What actually differs

Criterion	What it comes down to
Annual registry duty the duty most often overlooked	All three states require a recurring filing or fee, differing in scope and deadline. Missing it risks losing good standing — and with it, trouble at banks and payment providers.
Publicly visible details	Registries publish differing amounts about members and management. That is a difference in visibility, not in identifiability.
Running cost	Registered agent plus state fees. The magnitudes sit closer together than the advertising suggests — and they are adjusted regularly.
Corporate law and court practice	A genuine argument for companies with investors. For a single-member LLC with no outside capital, practically irrelevant.

What stays the same in every case

• The Form 5472 duty with a pro forma Form 1120 — identical nationwide
• The EIN as a precondition for any filing
• Identification towards the federal tax administration and towards banks
• A state that reduces the federal reporting duties
• Anonymity towards authorities through the choice of registry

What the reporting duty requires and what missing it costs is set out in Form 5472; how to obtain the EIN, in Getting an EIN without an SSN.

Our recommendation in one sentence

For a single-member LLC with no US business and no investors, the sum of the annual duty and the running fee decides — not the reputation of the state. Anyone planning a structure with outside capital is asking a different question and should settle it with a US adviser.

Choosing a state — frequently asked

Does a particular state save tax?

Federally, no. A single-member LLC is treated as disregarded unless corporate treatment is expressly elected — and that applies in every state alike. Differences exist in state-level levies and fees, not in the federal charge.

Is Delaware the best choice?

Delaware is the default for companies with investors, because its corporate law and court practice are well worn. For a single-member LLC with no outside capital that very advantage is irrelevant, and the annual duties still fall due.

How important is anonymity?

State registries publish differing amounts. Inferring invisibility from that is a mistake: towards the federal tax administration, towards banks and under the reporting duties you are identified in any event.

Why is there no fee table here?

Because states adjust fees and deadlines regularly. The current figure sits with the state registry — and that is where we point, rather than letting it age here.

This article is general information and does not constitute legal or tax advice. State fees, deadlines and registry practice change; what governs are the statements of the registry in question. As at August 2026.