As of January 1, 2024, the bipartisan Corporate Transparency Act requires many companies doing business in the United States to report information about the individuals who ultimately own or control them. The law was passed to curb illicit finance and protect U.S. national security. Filing is simple, secure and free of charge. Learn more about beneficial ownership reporting at www.fincen.gov/boi.
Companies that are required to comply (“reporting companies”) must file their initial reports by the following deadlines:
- Existing companies: Reporting companies created or registered to do business in the United States before January 1, 2024 must file by January 1, 2025.
- Newly created or registered companies: Reporting companies created or registered to do business in the United States in 2024 have 90 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that their company’s creation or registration is effective.
Beneficial ownership information reporting is not an annual requirement. A report only needs to be submitted once, unless the filer needs to update or correct information.
What is FinCEN? The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. Its mission is to safeguard the financial system from illicit use, combat money laundering and its related crimes including terrorism, and promote national security through the strategic use of financial authorities and the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence.
Who needs to file? A company may need to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN if it is:
- a corporation, a limited liability company (LLC), or was otherwise created in the United States by filing a document with a secretary of state or any similar office under the law of a state or Indian tribe; or
- a foreign company that was registered to do business in any U.S. state or Indian tribe by such a filing.
For more information about whether a company needs to file, visit fincen.gov/boi.