Wisconsin LLC Taxes

LLC Pass-Through Taxation

By default, LLCs don't pay taxes directly. Instead, the LLC members report the income (or losses) on their personal Form 1040 tax return. This is called pass-through taxation — tax responsibility "passes through" the LLC to its owners.

How Are LLCs Taxed in Wisconsin?

By default, a Wisconsin LLC is taxed by the IRS based on the number of members:

• An LLC with 1 owner (Single-Member LLC) is taxed like a Sole Proprietorship
• An LLC with 2+ owners (Multi-Member LLC) is taxed like a Partnership

These are the "default" statuses — automatically applied based on member count. You can also elect to have your LLC taxed as a Corporation (S-Corp or C-Corp) by filing extra paperwork with the IRS.

Single-Member LLC (default)

The IRS treats Single-Member LLCs as Disregarded Entities — the LLC doesn't file its own federal return. Instead, the owner reports LLC income on their personal Form 1040 (Schedule C if owned by an individual).

Multi-Member LLC (default)

Multi-Member LLCs file a Form 1065 Partnership Return and issue a Schedule K-1 to each member. Each member then reports their share of profits on their personal Form 1040.

Husband & Wife LLC

Electing Corporate Taxation

• S-Corporation: File Form 2553 with the IRS. Can reduce self-employment taxes once the LLC has consistent profits (generally $70,000+ net income per member). Speak with an accountant first.
• C-Corporation: File Form 8832 with the IRS. Uncommon for small LLCs. Primarily useful for large employers offering healthcare fringe benefits.

Wisconsin State Income Tax

Wisconsin has a state income tax at rates of 3.5%–7.65% (graduated). LLC members report their share of LLC profits on their Wisconsin state tax return.

Single-Member LLC owners file Wisconsin Form 1 and include LLC income. Multi-Member LLCs file Wisconsin Form 3 (Partnership Return) and issue Wisconsin Schedule 3K-1 to members.

Contact the Wisconsin Department of Revenue at 608-266-2776 for more information.

Local Income Tax

You and/or your LLC may also need to file and pay income taxes with your local municipality (city, county, etc.). Contact your local government or hire an accountant to confirm local requirements.

Wisconsin Sales Tax

If your LLC sells taxable products (and sometimes services) in Wisconsin, you may need to collect sales tax and register for a Seller's Permit (also called a resale license or sales tax permit).

Wisconsin's state sales tax rate is 5%. Counties can add 0.5%, and a 0.5% stadium tax applies in some counties, bringing totals to 5%–6%.

Register for Wisconsin Seller's Permit →

Contact the Wisconsin Department of Revenue at 608-266-2776 with questions.

Wisconsin LLC Payroll Taxes

If your Wisconsin LLC has employees, you must handle payroll taxes, which include:

• Federal income tax withholding
• Wisconsin state income tax withholding
• Social Security and Medicare taxes (FICA)
• Federal unemployment tax (FUTA)
• Wisconsin state unemployment tax (SUTA)

Payroll calculations are complex — most LLC owners hire a payroll service or accountant.

Wisconsin Tax Agency Contact

Wisconsin LLC Taxes — FAQs