Article· Oct 2026· 7 min read

How to Fill Out Pro Forma Form 1120 for a Foreign-Owned LLC (Line by Line)

Foreign-owned LLC? You only complete a few fields on pro forma Form 1120. See the exact items, a filled-in sample page and how to attach Form 5472.

Introduction

You own a U.S. LLC from outside the United States, and you've learned that you need to send the IRS a "pro forma Form 1120." Then you open the form and see five pages of corporate tax lines. Do you really have to fill all of that in?

No. For a foreign-owned single-member LLC, the pro forma Form 1120 is mostly a cover page for Form 5472. You fill in only a few items, sign it, and attach Form 5472 behind it.

This guide shows you how to fill out pro forma Form 1120 line by line, with a sample filled-in page and a clear map of how it connects to Form 5472.

Quick answer: On page 1 of Form 1120, a foreign-owned U.S. disregarded entity completes only its name and address, Item B (EIN) and Item E (check boxes such as "Initial return"). Write "Foreign-owned U.S. DE" across the top, sign the form, and attach Form 5472. Leave everything else blank.

What Is a Pro Forma Form 1120?

Form 1120 is the normal tax return for U.S. corporations. A "pro forma" version is a partly filled form used only for reporting, not for paying tax.

Since 2017, IRS rules treat a foreign-owned single-member LLC like a corporation for Form 5472 reporting only. That's why your LLC uses Form 1120 as the wrapper for Form 5472, even though it doesn't owe U.S. corporate tax because of this filing.

When do you need to file it? Your LLC files this package for any tax year in which it had a reportable transaction with a related party, such as you putting money into the LLC, taking money out, or paying its formation costs. Under the IRS filing exceptions, a foreign-owned DE generally doesn't need to file for a year in which it had no reportable transactions of the types listed in Parts IV, V and VI of Form 5472.

Have these ready before you start:

Your LLC's exact legal name, as shown on its state formation document
The LLC's mailing address
The LLC's EIN (see our guide on how to get an EIN for a non-resident LLC)
The tax year you're reporting
Your records of money moving between you and the LLC, which you'll need for Form 5472

This guide is for a single-member LLC owned by a foreign person that hasn't elected to be taxed as a corporation. Multi-member LLCs and LLCs taxed as corporations follow different rules.

How to Fill Out Pro Forma Form 1120 Line by Line

Download the current Form 1120 from IRS.gov, then follow these steps. You'll work only on page 1.

Step 1: Write "Foreign-owned U.S. DE" across the top.
Put it clearly in the top margin of page 1. This label tells the IRS to treat the form as a pro forma return, not a normal corporate return.

Step 2: Enter the tax year.
At the very top, enter the tax year. The IRS rule is simple: your LLC uses the same tax year that you, the owner, use for your own U.S. tax filings. If you have no U.S. tax filing requirement, which is the case for most foreign owners, the LLC uses the calendar year (January 1 to December 31).

Step 3: Enter the LLC's name and address.
Use the LLC's full legal name, exactly as it appears on your state documents and EIN letter. Then enter its mailing address. A U.S. registered agent address or a foreign address can both work. Write a foreign address in full, including the country.

Step 4: Item B, Employer identification number.
Enter your LLC's EIN in the format XX-XXXXXXX. Check every digit against your IRS EIN letter (CP 575 or Letter 147C). Never use your personal ID number here.

Step 5: Item E, Check the boxes that apply.
Item E has four boxes:

Initial return: tick this only in your LLC's first filing year
Final return: tick this in the year you close the LLC
Name change: tick this if the LLC's legal name changed during the year
Address change: tick this if the LLC's address changed since its last filing

In a normal year with no changes, leave all four boxes empty.

Step 6: Leave the rest blank.
Don't fill in income, deductions, taxable income or tax. Skip Items A, C and D, and skip pages 2 to 6. Adding numbers there can confuse the IRS and delay processing.

Step 7: Sign and date the form (recommended).
The IRS instructions list only the name, address, Item B and Item E as required on page 1. Even so, many tax professionals have the owner sign the "Sign Here" box, with the date and a title such as "Owner" or "Managing Member," because a signed form clearly shows who submitted it.

Sample: A Filled-In Page 1

Here's how page 1 looks for a sample LLC. Ahmed, who lives in Pakistan, formed Bright Path Digital LLC in Wyoming in 2025. This is its first filing. In 2025, Ahmed contributed $2,000 of his own money to open the LLC's bank account.

Field on Page 1	What Ahmed Enters
Top margin	Foreign-owned U.S. DE
Tax year	Calendar year 2025
Name	Bright Path Digital LLC
Address	His registered agent's address in Wyoming
Item B (EIN)	XX-XXXXXXX (his LLC's real EIN)
Item E	✓ Initial return
Items A, C, D and lines 1 to 37	Left blank
Sign Here	Ahmed's signature, date and title "Owner" (recommended)

Next year, Ahmed fills in the same fields but leaves "Initial return" unticked.

How Form 5472 Connects to Your Pro Forma 1120

The pro forma Form 1120 is the cover. Form 5472 is where the real reporting happens. For a foreign-owned LLC, these are the parts that usually matter:

Form 5472 Part	What It Covers	In Ahmed's Case
Part I	The reporting corporation: your LLC. Tick the box on line 3 to show it's a foreign-owned U.S. DE	Bright Path Digital LLC, its EIN and address
Part II	The foreign owner, reported as the 25% foreign shareholder. Enter the owner's foreign tax identification number (FTIN). If the owner doesn't have one, follow the current Form 5472 instructions for that line	Ahmed, his country and his Pakistani tax ID
Part III	The related party in the transactions. Every filer completes this, even when it's the same person as in Part II	Ahmed again, since he's the one moving money
Part IV	Money transactions with the foreign related party, such as loans or payments for services	None in his first year
Part V	Other transactions of a foreign-owned DE, such as contributions and distributions. Tick the box and describe them on an attached statement	The $2,000 Ahmed contributed from his own funds, described on a statement
Part VII	Additional information questions that every filer must answer	Answered as they apply to his LLC

Ahmed's deposit counts as a capital contribution because the money came from him, the owner. Money from other sources, such as customer payments or a loan from an unrelated lender, is treated differently, so check where each amount came from before you report it.

If more than one related party had transactions with your LLC, file a separate Form 5472 for each one, all behind the same pro forma Form 1120.

Not sure which transactions count? See What Is Form 5472? for examples.

Final Checks Before You Send It

Final checklist before sending pro forma Form 1120 and Form 5472 for a foreign-owned LLC

Run through this list once your forms are ready:

"Foreign-owned U.S. DE" is written across the top of page 1
Name and address match your state and IRS records
Item B shows the correct EIN
Item E has the right box ticked, or none in a normal year
Everything else on Form 1120 is blank
Signed and dated by the owner (recommended)
One Form 5472 is attached for each related party
Part V box ticked and a statement attached, if you had contributions or distributions
Page order: Form 1120 first, then Form 5472, then any statements

Foreign-owned LLCs can't e-file this package. According to the IRS Instructions for Form 5472, you send it by fax (300 DPI or higher) to 855-887-7737, or by mail to the IRS PIN Unit in Ogden, Utah. It's due by the due date of the pro forma Form 1120: April 15 for a calendar-year LLC, or later with a Form 7004 extension filed on time. Confirm the fax number and address on that IRS page before you send, and see our Form 5472 fax filing guide for the step-by-step process.

Common Mistakes on Pro Forma Form 1120

Mistake	How to Avoid It
Filling in income and tax lines like a normal corporation	Complete only the name, address, Item B and Item E
Ticking "Initial return" every year	Tick it only in the first filing year
Forgetting "Final return" when closing the LLC	Tick it on the last return you file
Ticking the Part V box with no statement	Attach a statement describing each contribution or distribution
Using a short or trade name	Use the exact legal name from the state documents
Writing the label inside the name box	Write "Foreign-owned U.S. DE" in the top margin only

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to fill out every line of Form 1120?

No. A foreign-owned single-member LLC completes only its name and address, Item B and Item E on page 1. Everything else stays blank.

What goes in Item B?

Your LLC's Employer Identification Number (EIN). Copy it exactly from your IRS EIN letter.

Which box do I tick in Item E in my first year?

Tick "Initial return." It tells the IRS this is your LLC's first filing.

Do I tick "Initial return" every year?

No. Tick it only once, in the first year. In later years, leave it empty unless another box applies.

What do I tick when I close my LLC?

Tick "Final return" on the pro forma Form 1120 for the year the LLC closes, and report that year's transactions on Form 5472.

Who signs the pro forma Form 1120?

The IRS instructions don't list a signature among the required items for a foreign-owned DE. Many tax professionals still have the owner or a managing member sign and date it, as good practice.

What tax year does my LLC use?

It uses the same tax year you use for your own U.S. tax filings. If you have no U.S. tax filing requirement, it uses the calendar year.

Do I report my LLC's income on page 1?

No. The pro forma Form 1120 doesn't report income or calculate tax. Your transactions with the LLC go on Form 5472 instead.

Do I need one pro forma Form 1120 for each related party?

No. You file one pro forma Form 1120 and attach a separate Form 5472 for each related party.

Can I write my foreign address on Form 1120?

Yes. Enter the full address, including the city, province or state, postal code and country. Many owners use a U.S. registered agent address instead, which is also accepted.

Conclusion

Filling out pro forma Form 1120 takes only a few minutes once you know what matters: write "Foreign-owned U.S. DE" at the top, enter your LLC's name, address and EIN, tick the right box in Item E, sign it, and attach Form 5472. Leave the rest blank.

The real detail is in Form 5472, where every transaction between you and your LLC must be reported correctly. A late, missing or substantially incomplete Form 5472 can lead to a $25,000