If you came to this country speaking Russian and harbouring dreams of building something of your own, you are far from alone. According to the 2024 American Community Survey, an estimated 1,021,165 U.S. residents aged 5 or over speak Russian at home. Of these, around 42 percent — approximately 429,378 individuals — have limited English proficiency (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). This language barrier can be a significant obstacle when trying to start a business, as the forms, deadlines, and legal terms are not easily translatable. One wrong box ticked, one filing missed, and your new company could hit a wall before it even opens.
Here's some good news! The limited liability company (LLC) has become a widely used business structure for Americans, and for good reason. In the 2023 tax year, LLCs accounted for 72.7 per cent of over 4.5 million partnership returns, and this figure does not even include LLCs taxed as S corporations (Internal Revenue Service, 2023). An LLC offers flexibility, protects your personal savings and is accessible to immigrant entrepreneurs with limited English proficiency.
This guide takes you through the process of forming an LLC step by step, covering the specific fees and rules that often cause problems. Think of it as a map — it's not legal advice, but it will help you to know what to expect.
Key takeaways
- Forming an LLC provides limited liability protection by separating your personal assets from your business debts.
- According to the IRS, LLCs made up 72.7% of the more than 4.5 million partnership returns for the 2023 tax year.
- Most U.S.-formed LLCs no longer file federal BOI reports after FinCEN's interim rule took effect March 26, 2025.
- The fees and deadlines can vary significantly. For example, under LLC Law § 206, New York requires newspaper publication for six weeks.
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Why an LLC protects you and your family
The whole point of an LLC is right there in the name: limited liability. This means that if your business is sued or accrues debts that it cannot pay, your personal assets, such as your house, car and savings, are generally protected. Creditors can usually only access the assets held by the business.
However, this protection is neither automatic nor bulletproof. You must keep your business and personal finances separate. You have to follow the rules. If owners treat the company bank account as their own personal wallet, the courts can 'pierce the corporate veil' and go after their personal assets anyway.
The internal rules of your LLC matter, too. In Absolute Sports Cards, LLC v. Thornton, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in a non-precedential opinion that a clause in the operating agreement allowing a member to continue running a competing business was 'manifestly unreasonable' and invalid under the state's revised LLC statute (Minnesota Court of Appeals, 2024). The lesson? You can't just include anything in your documents and expect it to be upheld. A business formation lawyer can help ensure that your agreement actually protects you.
The steps to forming an LLC from start to finish.
Here are the steps involved in forming an LLC in most states. The order is roughly the same everywhere, although the fees and minor details vary from state to state.
- Pick a name. It must be unique in your state and usually include 'LLC' or 'Limited Liability Company'. Check your state's business database first.
- Appoint a registered agent. This person or company will receive legal papers on behalf of your business. You can find out more about this below — the rules have just changed in Delaware.
- File your Articles of Organisation. This is the main formation document that you send to the relevant state office, typically the Secretary of State's office. It legally establishes your company.
- Write an operating agreement. This document outlines who owns what, who makes decisions and how profits are divided. Although some states don't require it, you should still have one.
- Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is your business's tax ID from the IRS. You will need this to open a bank account and hire workers.
- Handle ongoing filings and taxes. This includes annual reports, franchise taxes and, in some states, newspaper publication.
That's the skeleton. Now let's consider the parts that cost people money and time.
Filing your articles and choosing a registered agent
Your articles of organization are filed with the state, and the fee depends entirely on where you set up. For example, California charges $70 for the articles, plus an additional $20 for the statement of information. This statement is required within 90 days of formation and then every two years thereafter (California Legislature, 2025). In Florida, the fee for the articles is $100, and an additional $25 is charged to designate a registered agent (Florida Legislature, 2025). New York's filing fee for articles was $200 (New York State Senate, 2025). Delaware remains a popular choice, having recorded 235,393 LLC formations in 2025 alone (Delaware Division of Corporations, 2025).
Now, about that registered agent. If you were planning to use a cheap mail-forwarding service, pay attention. Delaware SB 98, effective August 1, 2025, amended the law so that a registered agent may no longer perform its functions solely through a virtual office, mail-forwarding service, or both (Delaware General Assembly, 2025). A registered agent needs a real presence. Rules on this vary depending on where you live, so confirm your state's requirements before you sign up with any service.
Do you need a Russian lawyer who speaks Russian? Heritage Web can put you in touch.
The paperwork that comes after you file.
Forming the LLC is not the end of the process. There are ongoing obligations that, if missed, can cost you dearly or even result in your company being shut down.
The annual taxes and reports vary widely. For example, Delaware's LLC annual tax was $300 for the 2025 tax year, with no annual report required. This increased to $400 for the 2026 tax year (Delaware Division of Corporations, 2026). Meanwhile, California's annual LLC tax was $800, plus an additional fee ranging from $900 for state income of $250,000 or more, to $11,790 for state income of $5 million or more (California Franchise Tax Board, 2025). In Florida, the annual report charge was $138.75, and paying after 1 May generally triggered a $400 late fee (Florida Legislature, 2025). Those late fees can mount up quickly, so make a note in your diary.
New York has a quirk that surprises almost everyone. According to LLC Law § 206, you must publish a notice about your LLC in two newspapers chosen by the county clerk, once a week for six consecutive weeks within 120 days of its formation (New York State Senate, 2025). While the state's certificate of publication fee is just $50, the newspaper charges can be much higher, depending on the county. For Russian-speaking founders in the New York metropolitan area, which is home to an estimated 233,769 Russian speakers (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024), this step is easy to overlook and costly to ignore.
The BOI reporting rule that confused everyone
If you've heard any alarming rumors about a new federal reporting requirement involving daily penalties, here's what actually happened — because the story kept changing.
For a while, most small businesses had to file "beneficial ownership information," or BOI, reports with FinCEN, identifying their real owners. The penalties were no joke: under 31 U.S.C. § 5336(h)(3)(A), willful violations carry a $500-per-day civil penalty, adjusted to $606 per day for penalties assessed on or after January 17, 2025, plus possible criminal penalties of up to $10,000 and two years in prison (FinCEN, 2025).
Then the courts stepped in. In Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. v. Garland, a federal court issued a nationwide injunction on December 3, 2024, and in McHenry v. Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. the U.S. Supreme Court stayed that injunction on January 23, 2025 pending appeal (U.S. Supreme Court, 2025). Finally, FinCEN's interim final rule took effect March 26, 2025, exempting entities created in the United States from federal BOI reporting and narrowing the rule to qualifying foreign-formed entities registered in a U.S. jurisdiction (FinCEN, 2025).
What that means in plain English: if you form your LLC inside the United States, you most likely do not have a federal BOI filing to worry about right now. But some states are moving on their own. New York enacted the LLC Transparency Act, and according to the Legal Aid Society, later amendments set it to take effect January 1, 2026, and after a 2025 veto and the federal change, New York's requirement appears to apply primarily to non-U.S.-formed LLCs registered in New York (Legal Aid Society, 2026). This area shifts fast — check with a local attorney before you assume you're off the hook.
Barriers Russian-Speaking Founders Face — and How to Overcome Them
Starting a business is difficult for anyone. Doing it in a second language is even harder. A survey of 1,300 entrepreneurs who launched businesses in 2023 estimated that 17 per cent of new business owners were born outside the United States (Gusto, 2023). While this is not a national census, it serves as a reminder that immigrant founders are a significant and growing force.
The language barrier is a major hurdle. Even native English speakers find legal documents dense. For example, an operating agreement decides what happens if you and your business partner fall out. In Learco Hospitality, LLC v. Comacchio, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled that an incorporated letter of intent took precedence over the statutory non-competition obligation between members (Illinois Appellate Court, 2025). Small wording choices can have significant consequences. If English is your second language, having a lawyer who speaks your native language can mean the difference between understanding what you have signed and finding out the hard way.
Community organizations can help, too. Qaravan, formerly RUSA LGBTQ+, is a New York non-profit organization that serves Eurasian LGBTQ+ immigrants and offers informational support and legal assistance resources (Qaravan, 2025). Don't try to cope alone.
Getting the right help for your business
You don't have to figure all this out by yourself — and, quite frankly, you shouldn't. From day one, the business you build is worth protecting — the right documents, filings and advice can save you money and heartache further down the line.
A lawyer specializing in business formation who understands your language and background can guide you through each step, help you avoid costly mistakes and help keep your limited liability protection in place. Get in touch with a Russian-speaking lawyer who understands your culture. Submit your case details through Heritage Web's secure referral form.
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. If you require guidance on a specific situation, please consult a qualified attorney.
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Sources
- FinCEN
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Gusto
- Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc. v. Garland
- Legal Aid Society
- Absolute Sports Cards, LLC v. Thornton
- Qaravan
- Learco Hospitality, LLC v. Comacchio
- Internal Revenue Service
- California Legislature
- California Franchise Tax Board
- New York State Senate
- Florida Legislature
- Delaware Division of Corporations
- 31 U.S.C. § 5336
