should I have a LLC for each property? Will a CPA help me start?

Question

We are just starting out and trying to get organized. We’ve heard that protecting yourself with LLCs are a must, but I’m looking for more information in relation to the topic. We are also in the process of finding a CPA to help keep us keep on track. Should we depend on our CPA to direct us in regards to starting LLCs? Should each property have their own? Should each be linked to their own bank account? Any information on the subject would help.....I can think better when I’m organized!!!

Jennifer Soelberg · Answer

@Sean Tippens I would highly suggest meeting with a CPA or real estate lawyer. If you can find a CPA who is also an investor themselves, that is the real package deal!

Best of luck!

Scott Smith · Answer

Hey @Sean Tippens,

Great questions! I work with these structures all the time, so I will break down my approach for you. When I sit down with clients I always discuss (1) their personal assets, and (2) what their current investments portfolio and other business ventures are before discussing (3) their future goals. Each of these variables will dramatically change the advice I give the individual asking me this question. Generally though, I break it down into the "five pillars" of protecting your assets.

The first pillar is avoiding unnecessary and risky activities (don't drink and drive, insurance generally won’t cover your poor decisions) and take good care of your investments(maintain your property, etc) - these simple steps will help you prevent lawsuits before they even occur.

The second pillar is a good insurance policy as that cover the majority of your exposure. However, insurance is limited because it only protects you from one type of liability: accidents/negligence. Insurance doesn’t protect you from any part of the sale or acquisition of a property (e.x. Somebody wanting to sue for you backing out of a bad deal or accusing you of selling them a property with defects like unknown termite damage). Insurance also doesn’t protect you from misunderstandings, especially those made in writing and email. What happens in these misunderstandings is that something goes wrong either in the sale or after, and then they sue you for some statement you made that they “misunderstood”. That lawsuit is a claim for fraud, and that’s what fraud typically is...a misunderstanding and someone being “injured” and wanting to hold the other responsible for it. Insurance never protects you from these kinds of claims and they happen all the time.

The third pillar applies after you have good insurance You need to protect yourself from what insurance doesn’t cover by compartmentalizing your assets. Compartmentalization means that if something happens to one property, people suing can’t touch you or the other properties. You should use either LLC’s (the old and expensive way) or a Series LLC (the new and more cost/time effective way). No matter where you live or where you own assets, I personally recommend the Series LLC to be a great tool for the individual investor who is planning to expand their operation, as it allows for you to scale infinitely for FREE. If you’re interested in using an LLC, this article  also further explains the advantages of a Series.

The fourth pillar is somewhat similar - you want to separate your operations from your assets. One company owns everything and does nothing (this is your SLLC a/k/a “asset holding company”) and a completely separate company handles all of your operations (this is a traditional LLC a/k/a “operating company”) For the operating company which serves as your face to the world and through which you do all your business, you establish a Traditional LLC to carry out the operations of your investments. The operating company takes on all of the liability that would otherwise blow back on you including: paying property management, paying contractors, collecting rent, marketing, etc.

The fifth pillar is owning everything anonymously. If people don’t know that you have assets, then they are less likely to sue because there’s no use in suing people that qualify for food stamps. This anonymity can be accomplished for free by using land trusts to own your companies as well as the assets. Trusts create this anonymity by removing your name from public record. Even if they can see you used to own a property, when properly transferred it will look like it was sold to investors. If they somehow guess you are the owner though, it still doesn’t matter because you would not be the owner. The land trust and the LLC are the owner of the asset/real estate, so even in the scenario that potential litigants guess, they would guess wrong.

A CPA would have more of a tax perspective, while an attorney would be more focused on the legal protection provided. In the end it's up to the investor as to how they want to proceed and what precautions and focuses they will have in their strategy. Ideally, you would want to just find your dream real estate investing team of professionals with personal experience in the same category of investing you are personally in. The includes a great CPA, attorney, banker, contractor(s), etc. Any one of those team members will help you navigate these questions with ease as you move forward and open up more possibilities for yourself in the future. BP is a great resource, so good job digging around here! Lots of great resources.

This is not legal advice, just my opinion as a real estate investor. If you have more questions feel free to tag me or shoot me a message.

Basit Siddiqi · Answer

@Sean TippensEveryone is going to have a different answer on how many LLC's you should have per property.It depends on several factors such as

• Your net worth
• Your exposure to risk
• your appetite for risk
• Cost/upkeep of LLC's
• etc

I would normally advise speaking with an attorney regarding LLC's. Attorney's practice law and can guide you on what LLC's will and won't protect you from.A CPA can guide you on the taxation standpoint of the selected entity.

Basit Siddiqi · Answer

@Sean TippensEveryone is going to have a different answer on how many LLC's you should have per property.It depends on several factors such as

• Your net worth
• Your exposure to risk
• your appetite for risk
• Cost/upkeep of LLC's
• etc

I would normally advise speaking with an attorney regarding LLC's. Attorney's practice law and can guide you on what LLC's will and won't protect you from.A CPA can guide you on the taxation standpoint of the selected entity.

should I have a LLC for each property? Will a CPA help me start?

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