Wrapping your Montana rental property in an LLC blankets it with legal protection and financial advantages, allowing your investment to flourish under the Big Sky Country’s expansive real estate horizon.
Starts at $0 + Montana state fees and only takes 5-10 minutes
Whether you have a vacation rental, residential home, or apartment building, you might not think of yourself as a business when you’re considering renting a property out to someone else. But the truth is you’ll be entering into contracts, collecting revenue, and managing expenses. Your tenants can sue you if things go wrong, just like any business. It’s a good idea to take advantage of legal protections for yourself, like forming a limited liability company (LLC).
The benefits of forming an LLC are immense for real estate investors for a fairly low cost. When you use our services to form your Montana LLC, we can make the process quick and easy. And after formation, our other products and services can help make running your rental property business as smooth as possible.
There are a number of benefits to creating an LLC for rental property in Montana. Forming a limited liability company can help keep you organized, structured, and protected. Here are some of the important things to consider.
Limited liability companies provide protection for your personal assets. Any debts or legal obligations that arise are paid by the business and don’t put your personal finances at risk. The business is a separate entity from its owners or members.
Unlike traditional corporations where the company itself and individual shareholders pay taxes, pass-through entities don’t pay taxes as a company. The earnings are “passed through” to the members’ income taxes, which avoids double taxation.
Forming a rental property LLC in Montana allows you to open separate business accounts under the company name. This is important to help keep business and personal assets separate. Taxes are hard enough without trying to dig through your account to determine what’s what.
A series LLC is a group of separate limited liability companies that exist under the umbrella of one parent LLC. This structure is common for real estate investors with multiple properties because each property can be its own “series.” Each series has separate assets and liabilities from the other series. This type of LLC is also used for companies that have multiple brands or product lines. Not all states allow series LLCs. But Montana is one of the relatively few states that do recognize series LLCs. So if you live and do business here, you can take advantage of using this unique business entity.
There are some important benefits to forming an LLC for property owners in Montana.
Forming your limited liability company is a pretty straightforward process, but there are a number of steps. Here is a quick guide on what you need to do to form your Montana real estate LLC.
Choosing a name can be a fun process. Make sure your name isn’t misleading and conveys what your company does. Check with state LLC naming guidelines. Also, be sure to check that no other Montana business is using the same or similar name.
A registered agent is a person or business assigned to receive your business and legal correspondence. This person must be available during all business hours, which is why it’s a good idea to not accept this task yourself. We can help you find a Montana registered agent that fits your company’s needs.
Once you have chosen your name and registered agent, it’s time to register your rental property LLC in Montana with the Secretary of State. The Articles of Organization serve as the official document that causes your business to legally exist.
An Operating Agreement is an internal document that services as detailed guidelines for how your limited liability company is run. This document isn’t filed with the state but should be readily available as a reference whenever conflict arises. The Operating Agreement may include voting structures, manager and member roles, ownership transfers, conflicts of interest, and more. Get started with our Montana Montana Operating Agreement.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is basically a social security number for your business. This number allows you to open business accounts, pay taxes, and hire employees. Obtain your EIN through the IRS.
If you have an existing property, you’ll want to transfer it to the limited liability company. File a Realty Transfer Certificate (Form RTC) with the County Clerk and Recorder at the same time the deed is filed. If there’s a mortgage or loan on the property, you’ll need to inform the lender. However, this may change the terms of your agreement, so it’s best to do have a discussion with your lender before making the transfer.
If you have tenants already in the property, update the lease or rental agreement to reflect the new ownership. You’ll want to also inform your tenants of the change.
Forming an LLC for rental property in Montana is a great idea for anyone who owns property, whether it’s for vacation, long-term residence, business, or land use. If you haven’t invested in property, but intend to, consider forming your rental property LLC in Montana before making your purchase. If your limited liability company already exists, you can purchase the property in the company name to avoid having to transfer the property.
Once you have your real estate limited liability company formed, we can help you through all of the other business tasks that arise. We can help with annual reports, getting business licenses, writing your business plan, and helping you with general compliance. In short, we exist to make owning a business easier and we can’t wait to help you grow your rental property LLC in Montana.
Montana LLC for Rental Property FAQs
Forming a limited liability company can help keep you organized, structured, and protected. LLCs include personal liability protection, pass-through taxation, and separation of personal and business finances.
Make sure your name conveys what your company does and isn’t misleading. Be sure to run a search to ensure that no other Montana business is using the same or similar name. Check with state LLC naming guidelines for further specifics.
You only need to register your LLC in the states where you conduct business.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
Montana Business Resources
Start a Rental Property LLC in Your State
Ready to Start Your LLC?
Start your Montana Rental Property LLC