Compliance reporting on behalf of company

Research steps taken and summary of findings: Steps taken

Research steps taken and summary of findings: Steps taken

Performed broad web searches and targeted extraction against authoritative government and compliance sources (FinCEN, IRS, SBA) and reputable compliance providers (Harbor Compliance, CorpNet) to collect federal and state-level reporting requirements relevant to US business owners and LLC founders.

Extracted and compressed the most relevant guidance on

Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act and FinCEN rules; federal tax and employer reporting obligations (IRS forms and common deadlines); common state-level entity maintenance (annual/biennial reports, franchise tax) and compliance traps; and best practices for filing on behalf of a company (POA, registered agent, compliance calendar). Key findings (actionable summary for a blog post targeted to US business owners / LLC founders) A. FinCEN BOI (Corporate Transparency Act)  critical points - Recent rule changes (interim final rule, March 26, 2025) narrowed the definition of a reporting company. Domestic entities previously treated as domestic reporting companies were exempted; the rule now focuses on certain foreign entities registered to do business in the U.S. that meet the definition of a reporting company. (See FinCEN citations below) - Deadlines and filing windows: FinCEN established phased deadlines for initial BOI filings tied to registration/formation dates (examples in guidance: reporting companies registered before March 26, 2025 had a due date of April 25, 2025; other phased deadlines and earlier 2024/2025 windows are described in the Small Entity Compliance Guide). BOI reports must be filed electronically through FinCENs secure filing system. (See FinCEN citations below) - What to collect/report: company identifying information, beneficial owners and certain company applicants identifying details (name, DOB, address, ID number and issuing jurisdiction, image of ID), and the option to use FinCEN identifiers. Updating and correcting reports is required within specified timelines; willful failures can trigger civil/criminal penalties. B. Federal (IRS and general federal) reporting obligations for businesses - Core employer and business filings: Form 941 (quarterly federal payroll tax return), Form W-2 (employee wage reporting), Form 1099 series (independent contractor payments), business income returns (Form 1120 for corporations, Form 1065 for partnerships/LLCs taxed as partnerships, Schedule C/1040 for sole proprietors). The IRS website lists these forms and related resources. - Power of Attorney and filing on behalf of a company: Form 2848 (Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative) is the IRS instrument commonly used to authorize a third party (attorney, CPA, authorized agent) to represent a taxpayer before the IRS and to receive confidential information. Use appropriate POA, client authorization letters, and maintain records when filing on behalf of a company. C. State-level entity maintenance (annual/biennial reports) and franchise taxes - Most states require an annual or biennial report (all states except a small number historically had variations); due dates, filing frequency (annual vs biennial), and fees vary widely by state. Some states use formation-anniversary deadlines while others use fixed calendar dates. Failure to file can cause late fees, loss of good standing, or administrative dissolution. - Some states pair annual reports with franchise tax or other state-level business taxes (e.g., Delaware entity taxes, California franchise tax, Texas public information report + franchise tax rules). State-by-state tables and 50-state guides are available from Harbor Compliance, CorpNet, and other compliance providers; these should be cross-checked against official Secretary of State and Department of Revenue pages before filing. D. Sales & use tax, nexus, unemployment insurance, and workers compensation (state-level operational reporting) - Sales tax registration and nexus: economic nexus thresholds and registration requirements vary by state (many states set thresholds for economic nexus based on sales revenue and/or transaction counts). Businesses must register with the state Department of Revenue (or equivalent) and file periodic sales tax returns. Reputable commercial summaries (Avalara, TaxJar) and state DOR websites provide state-specific thresholds and registration pages. - Unemployment insurance & workers compensation: employer registration and reporting obligations are state-administered and vary. Employers must register for state unemployment insurance accounts and obtain workers compensation coverage per state rules. State labor or workforce agencies provide registration portals and employer tax/filing guidelines. E. Practical guidance & best practices for filing on behalf of a company - Authorization and documentation: use appropriate written authorizations (POA, Form 2848 for IRS matters, signed client authorization letters) and maintain copies of authorizations and filings in company records. - Registered agent and recordkeeping: maintain an up-to-date registered agent to receive official notices; keep an internal compliance calendar covering formation anniversary, annual/biennial report due dates, state tax filings, payroll tax deadlines, and BOI update windows (if applicable). - Process & checklist: collect required company and beneficial owner information in advance; verify identity documents for BOI or FinCEN identifiers where required; confirm state-specific forms and fee schedules via the secretary of state/DOR sites; use secure electronic filing systems and retain confirmation receipts. Suggested next steps to create the requested blog content - Use the federal guidance (FinCEN, IRS) and the state summary resources collected here as the foundation for the blog. Then: (1) assemble a concise 50-state appendix that lists each state/DC with: annual/biennial report frequency, typical due date rule (anniversary vs fixed date), approximate filing fee, links to the state SOS annual report page and state DOR sales tax registration page; (2) include a downloadable checklist and sample POA/authorization language; (3) add a compliance calendar template and recommended tools (registered-agent, calendar automation, managed compliance services).