Forgot to file Single Member LLC on 1040 after already receiving my personal tax return

Don't panic! This is actually a pretty common situation with dormant single member LLCs. Since a single member LLC is considered a "disregarded entity" for federal tax purposes, the business activity (or lack thereof) should be reported on Schedule C of your personal 1040. In your case with $0 income and $0 expenses, there wouldn't be any tax impact, but technically you should have included a Schedule C showing the zero activity. The good news is that since there's no tax due from the LLC, this is a relatively minor issue to fix. You have a couple options: 1) File an amended return (Form 1040-X) with a Schedule C showing the zero activity, or 2) Since there's no tax impact, some tax professionals might suggest just ensuring you include the Schedule C next year and being more complete going forward.

I actually had almost the exact same situation last year! I totally spaced on including my side hustle LLC on my taxes after I had already filed and gotten my refund. I was losing sleep over it until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which helped me figure out exactly what to do. I uploaded my return documents and explained my situation, and they analyzed everything and told me exactly what forms I needed to file and how to handle it. They confirmed I needed to file an amended return with Schedule C, even though there was no income. The guidance was super clear about the proper way to show a dormant LLC on taxes.

Just wanted to update that I checked out taxr.ai like suggested above and it was actually super helpful! I uploaded my tax forms and explained my situation with my nearly-dormant LLC. They analyzed everything and gave me clear instructions on exactly how to file my 1040-X with the Schedule C showing the minimal interest income. I was overthinking it before, but now I'm confident I'm handling it correctly. They explained that even with minimal activity, it's important to document the LLC properly. The guidance was really straightforward and saved me from having to pay a CPA just for this small issue!

I had a similar issue back in 2023 and spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at the IRS to confirm what I needed to do. It was absolutely maddening - constant busy signals, disconnects, and hours on hold. I finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it was a game-changer. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent within about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. The agent confirmed I needed to file a 1040-X with Schedule C showing zero activity for my LLC, and explained there would be no penalties since there was no tax impact. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c if you're curious. Saved me so much stress!

Just had to come back here and say WOW. After being skeptical about Claimyr, I tried it today for my S-Corp question and it ACTUALLY worked. I've been trying to reach the IRS business line for weeks with no luck, but got connected within 35 minutes using their service. The IRS agent walked me through exactly what forms I needed for my situation and confirmed I was correct about the filing requirements. Honestly might have saved me from potential penalties down the road by getting clarification directly from the source. If you're stuck with tax questions, being able to actually speak to someone at the IRS is invaluable.

One thing nobody's mentioned - make sure you're also compliant with state filing requirements for your LLC! Even with zero activity, many states require an annual report or similar filing to keep your LLC in good standing, and those deadlines might be different from tax deadlines. I learned this the hard way when my "paused" LLC was administratively dissolved by my state because I missed two annual reports. Had to pay reinstatement fees and back-filing fees that cost way more than just staying on top of the annual reports would have.

Just to share my experience - I had a similar situation last year but my LLC had about $200 in expenses and no income. I called the IRS and after being on hold forever, they told me I definitely needed to file an amended return with Schedule C showing the loss. They said even though it wouldn't change my tax situation much, it was important for their records to show the business activity. The agent was actually pretty nice about it and said as long as I filed the amendment within a reasonable time, there wouldn't be penalties since I wasn't underpaying taxes.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago with my dormant LLC! The stress was real, but it turned out to be much less dramatic than I expected. Here's what I learned: Yes, you technically should file an amended return (Form 1040-X) with Schedule C showing the zero activity. Even though there's no tax impact, the IRS wants documentation that the LLC exists and had no activity rather than just ignoring it completely. The good news is there are no penalties when you're not underpaying taxes. I filed my amendment about 6 weeks after realizing my mistake, and it was processed without any issues or additional fees. Just make sure to clearly indicate on the Schedule C that this was a business with no activity during the tax year. One tip: keep good records going forward. Even if your LLC continues to have zero activity, you'll want to document that fact each year so you don't forget again. It's much easier to include a zero-activity Schedule C from the start than to amend later!