How to File Taxes for an LLC in 2026: Forms, Deadlines, and Steps
An LLC doesn't have its own federal tax return by default. How you actually file depends entirely on how the IRS classifies your LLC, which comes down to how many members you have and whether you've made an election to be taxed differently. Get the classification wrong, and you'll either file the wrong form or miss a deadline you didn't know applied to you. Here's exactly how it works, form by form.
Key Takeaways
- A single-member LLC is a "disregarded entity" by default, meaning its income is reported directly on the owner's personal return, not a separate LLC tax return.
- A multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership by default, filing Form 1065 and issuing Schedule K-1s to each member.
- An LLC can elect corporate taxation using Form 8832, or S-corp taxation using Form 2553, changing which return it files entirely.
- Partnership and S-corp returns are due March 15, a full month before the April 15 personal return deadline, since members need their K-1s in hand before filing individually.
- Arizona requires its own matching return, Form 165 for partnerships or Form 120S for S-corps, due the same day as the federal return.
- Most single-member LLCs don't need a separate EIN unless they have employees, but multi-member LLCs and any LLC taxed as a corporation always need one.
How the IRS classifies your LLC by default
The IRS doesn't have a tax category called "LLC." Instead, it looks at your LLC and assigns a default federal tax classification based on membership, per the IRS's own LLC overview:
- One member: treated as a disregarded entity, meaning the LLC is ignored for income tax purposes and its activity flows straight to the owner's return.
- Two or more members: treated as a partnership by default.
Either classification can be overridden. An LLC of any size can elect to be taxed as a corporation, and if it qualifies, can further elect S-corp treatment on top of that. The election, not the state paperwork that created your LLC, is what actually determines which federal form you file.
Filing as a disregarded entity (single-member LLC)
Sole owner of your LLC and haven't filed an election? The LLC itself files nothing. Per IRS Publication 3402, your LLC's income, deductions, gains, and losses go on your personal Form 1040:
- Schedule C if you're running a trade or business.
- Schedule E if the LLC holds rental real estate.
- Schedule F if the LLC operates a farm.
One nuance that trips people up: even though the LLC is disregarded for income tax purposes, the IRS treats it as a separate entity for employment tax and certain excise taxes once you have employees. Single-member LLC with staff? It needs its own EIN and its own payroll tax filings, even though your income tax return still runs through your personal 1040.
Filing as a partnership (multi-member LLC)
An LLC with two or more members defaults to partnership taxation. The LLC files Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income, an informational return that doesn't itself generate a tax bill. Instead, the partnership issues a Schedule K-1 to each member showing their share of income, deductions, and credits, and each member reports that K-1 on their own personal return.
This is where the March 15 deadline matters most: members can't accurately file their personal returns until they have their K-1 in hand, so the partnership return is due a full month before the individual filing deadline specifically to give members time to incorporate that information.
Electing corporate or S-corp taxation
Any LLC can choose not to accept its default classification. Two elections matter here, and they do different things:
- Form 8832, Entity Classification Election: elects to have the LLC taxed as a C-corporation, filing Form 1120 going forward and paying corporate tax directly.
- Form 2553, Election by a Small Business Corporation: elects S-corp status. An LLC filing Form 2553 doesn't need to file Form 8832 first, the S-corp election is deemed to include the corporate classification.
The Form 2553 instructions set the deadline at no later than 2 months and 15 days after the start of the tax year the election should take effect, generally March 15 for an existing calendar-year LLC. Miss it, and the election doesn't take effect until the following tax year, unless you qualify for late-election relief under Rev. Proc. 2013-30.
Step-by-step: filing your LLC's taxes this year
- Confirm your current classification. Check whether you've ever filed Form 8832 or Form 2553. If not, your LLC is on the default disregarded-entity or partnership treatment based on membership count.
- Gather your books for the correct entity type. A disregarded entity needs Schedule C-ready records; a partnership or S-corp needs full entity-level bookkeeping, since the return is separate from any owner's personal finances.
- File the correct federal form by its deadline: Schedule C/E/F with your 1040 (April 15), Form 1065 for partnerships (March 15), or Form 1120-S for S-corps (March 15).
- Issue K-1s to members or shareholders as soon as the entity return is filed, so they can complete their own returns on time.
- File the matching Arizona return if you're an Arizona business: Form 165 for partnerships or Form 120S for S-corps, both due the same day as the federal deadline.
- Request an extension if needed, using Form 7004 for the federal partnership or S-corp return, which grants an automatic six-month extension if filed by the original due date. An extension to file is never an extension to pay.
Federal deadlines at a glance
Entity treatment | Form | 2026 deadline (calendar year) |
|---|---|---|
Disregarded entity (single-member) | Schedule C/E/F with Form 1040 | April 15 |
Partnership (multi-member, default) | Form 1065 | March 15 |
S-corporation election | Form 1120-S | March 15 |
C-corporation election | Form 1120 | April 15 |
Arizona filing requirements for your LLC
Arizona requires its own return that mirrors your federal classification. Partnerships file Arizona Form 165, and LLCs taxed as S-corps file Arizona Form 120S, both due the same 15th-day-of-the-third-month deadline as the federal return. Disregarded single-member LLCs don't file a separate Arizona entity return either, their activity is included on the owner's Arizona Form 140 the same way it's included on the federal 1040. Arizona also offers a Pass-Through Entity (PTE) tax election at 2.5%, which can help partners and shareholders work around the federal SALT deduction cap, worth evaluating alongside your entity classification rather than as an afterthought.
Getting an EIN
Most LLCs need an Employer Identification Number even if they don't have employees yet, since banks and many states require one to open an account or complete state registration. You can apply for free directly through the IRS and receive the number immediately online. A true single-member disregarded LLC with no employees and no excise tax liability technically doesn't need an EIN for federal tax purposes, but the moment you elect corporate or S-corp taxation, hire an employee, or add a second member, an EIN becomes mandatory.
What business owners and real estate investors should watch for
The classification decision isn't purely a filing-mechanics question, it changes your actual tax bill. A single-member LLC's net profit is fully subject to self-employment tax; an S-corp election lets you split income between a reasonable W-2 salary and distributions, reducing the portion exposed to payroll tax, though it adds real ongoing costs (payroll processing, a separate return, stricter bookkeeping). Real estate investor? Most rental LLCs stay disregarded entities or partnerships rather than electing S-corp status, since S-corp treatment can complicate the tax-free distribution of appreciated property later. Our Strategic Tax Advisory and Preparation team walks through this decision with clients before a deadline forces the choice, and our Payroll Services team sets up compliant payroll the moment an S-corp election takes effect.
Filing correctly the first time
Between confirming your classification, hitting the right deadline, and matching your Arizona filing to your federal one, LLC tax filing has more branching paths than the phrase "file your LLC taxes" suggests. Getting the entity election right also has consequences that outlast a single filing season, since changing classification later can trigger deemed asset transfers with their own tax cost. Our Accounting & Business Performance team keeps your books structured for whichever classification actually applies to you, and our Estate Planning, Trust & Entity Formation team handles the election paperwork itself. Book a free discovery call and we'll confirm exactly which forms and deadlines apply to your LLC this year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an LLC file its own tax return?
It depends on classification. A single-member LLC doesn't file a separate return, its activity goes on the owner's Form 1040. A multi-member LLC files Form 1065 as a partnership unless it has elected corporate taxation.
What tax form does a single-member LLC use?
Schedule C (business), Schedule E (rental real estate), or Schedule F (farming), filed with the owner's personal Form 1040. The LLC itself files no separate federal income tax return.
When are LLC taxes due in 2026?
It depends on classification: partnership and S-corp returns are due March 15, while disregarded-entity income reported on a personal 1040 (or a C-corp election) is due April 15.
Can an LLC choose to be taxed as an S-corp?
Yes. File Form 2553 by 2 months and 15 days after the start of the tax year the election should take effect, generally March 15 for an existing calendar-year LLC.
Does my LLC need an EIN?
If you have employees, more than one member, or have elected corporate or S-corp taxation, yes. A true single-member disregarded LLC with no employees technically doesn't need one for federal tax purposes, but most banks require it anyway.
Does Arizona require a separate LLC tax return?
Only if your LLC is taxed as a partnership (Form 165) or S-corp (Form 120S). Disregarded single-member LLCs report their activity on the owner's Arizona Form 140, just as they do federally.
