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Updated over 4 years ago, 07/03/2020

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3
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Haus Kauffmann
1
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3
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American expat buying single US residence - LLC or not?

Haus Kauffmann
Posted

Friends

I'm living and working outside the US, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Each year even after FEIE I have a modest tax liability to the US.  

SHORT TERM:

Buying 1 SFH, and as a form of personal support, will be renting to a relative for under market rate (i.e. will likely recognize net loss vs mortgate interest, depreciation, etc). This will happens for a few years.

LONG TERM/GOAL:

Whenever that term finishes, I'll probably rent it normally on the market.  If cashflow on that single house looks good, I might start adding properties and/or partnership, to start a small RE "venture".  Not a full-blown full-time thing. 

But for now it's just a single house, to help out someone personally, and get a bit of equity in the US.

QUESTION:

Given the above objective, does it make sense to buy this house under an LLC?  or just directly under my name?

I've done some research, including reading on this forum, and all answers converge to: "a single-member LLC makes absolutely no difference w.r.t. taxes". 

I get that, but given the long term vision, is there any other reason to form an LLC or not? Like, is there undue complications in filing and accounting and that makes it a pain? Or is it just paying a few hundred dollars (??) one time for incorporation, and then everything else is mechanically-identical?

If I lived in the US I would walk into a CPA office to ask these sorts of questions... but alas here we are.

thanks in advance

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