“Missouri Department of Revenue Asserts LLC Members are Liable for Unpaid Entity Level Tax” by Frank C. Carnahan
Limited liability company (“LLC”) members are generally NOT liable for LLC obligations and liabilities unless they guaranty them or there is another provision, as set out in R.S.Mo. §347.057:
A person who is a member, manager, or both of a limited liability company is not liable, solely by reason of being a member or manager, or both, under a judgment, decree, or order of court, or in any other manner, for a debt, obligation or liability of the limited liability company, whether arising in contract, tort of otherwise or for the acts or omissions of any other member, manager, agent or employee of the limited liability company.
The IRS respects this liability limitation. Members are not personally liability for unpaid withholding tax unless they are determined to be a “responsible person” under Internal Revenue Code §6672, with a duty to collect and pay over taxes, and who “willfully” fail to do so. Missouri has similar statutory responsible person liability for sales and withholding tax, but not for unemployment contributions.
The Missouri Department of Revenue (“DOR”) and Missouri Division of Employment Security (“Division”) position is that members of LLCs taxed as partnerships are personally/individually liable for unpaid LLC taxes, i.e., DOR withholding and sales tax, and Division unemployment contributions, without resorting to responsible person personal liability. DOR’s and the Divisions positions are that limited liability is trumped by R.S.Mo. § 347.187:
- A limited liability company created pursuant to sections 347.010 to 347.187 or entering the state pursuant to sections 347.010 to 347.187 and its authorized persons, or their equivalent, shall have the duty to withhold and pay such taxes as are imposed by the laws of this state or any political subdivision thereof on a basis consistent with such limited liability company’s classification pursuant to Section 7701 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
- Solely for the purposes of chapter 143, R.S.Mo., chapter 144, RSMo, and chapter 288, RSMo, a limited liability company and its members shall be classified and treated on a basis consistent with the limited liability company’s classification for federal income tax purposes.
Thus, if an LLC is taxed as a partnership (versus taxed as a corporation) LLC members are treated as general partners liable for tax owed by the LLC itself. DOR appears to accept that an LLC member treated as a limited partner (versus general partner) is not liable. Limited partnership general partners manage and control the limited partnership business and affairs, and limited partners do not have that authority, so cannot make sure the taxes are paid. All members in a member managed LLC can act for the LLC, similar to general partners, but non-manager members in a manager managed LLC are without authority, similar to a limited partner. Management authority is set out in the Articles of Organization as “member managed” or “manager managed”. The extent and limits on manager authority is further set out in the LLC Operating Agreement. Also, there are two checkboxes on the LLC form K-1 sent to members each year with the LLC filing the form 1065, marked that the member is either a “general partner – LLC member” or “limited partner – LLC member”.