Santiago SaaS / fintech founder
U.S. LLC billing Stripe; opex from Chile.
What you do: Form 5472 required. guided wizard at /filer.
Hola β fundadores chilenos
GuΓa de cumplimiento Form 5472 para tu LLC en EE. UU.
Form 5472 compliance for Chilean founders of U.S. LLCs
Chile has one of the most mature tech-founder ecosystems in LatAm. The U.S.-Chile tax treaty (in force 2023) provides meaningful withholding reductions. Here's the Form 5472 + pro forma 1120 playbook.
You file. We never touch your IRS submission. Read in your language β
Why founders in Chile form U.S. LLCs
- Stripe and U.S. payment-processor access for Chilean SaaS founders.
- Cleaner U.S. enterprise contracting.
- USD banking access.
- Path into U.S. investor and accelerator programs (Y Combinator, Pioneer, etc.).
U.S.-Chile tax treaty essentials
The U.S.-Chile Income Tax Treaty entered into force on December 19, 2023. It reduces withholding on certain cross-border payments. It does NOT eliminate Form 5472 β the LLC's annual information return is independent of treaty withholding.
| Payment type | Withholding | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dividends to Chilean resident | 5-15% | Article 10 β 5% if recipient owns β₯10%, 15% otherwise. |
| Interest to Chilean-resident lender | 4-15% | Article 11 β 4% for certain banks (transitional 5-year period at 10%), 15% otherwise. |
| Royalties | 2-10% | Article 12 β 2% for industrial/scientific equipment, 10% for general royalties. |
| Permanent establishment threshold | β | Article 5 β important for ECI determinations. |
Read the full treaty on IRS.gov: Chile tax treaty documents.
Withholding-rate planning is separate from Form 5472. Form 5472 is an information return on the LLC; withholding is on payments from U.S. payors. Both can apply.
Your FTIN: RUT (Rol Γnico Tributario)
8-digit number plus a check character, format XX.XXX.XXX-Y.
For Form 5472 line 1c, RUT is the FTIN. Most Chilean founders have one through SII.
Banking realities for Chile founders
Chilean founders generally get Mercury, Wise, and (with traction) Relay approval. One of the easier LatAm cohorts for U.S. business banking.
- MercuryGenerally approves
Generally approves Chilean SaaS founders with clear ICP. Requires U.S. address.
- Wise BusinessGenerally approves
Reliable fallback. EMI, not a bank.
- RelayGenerally approves
Often approves Chilean founders; $3M FDIC sweep attractive for higher balances.
- BrexSelective
Possible with revenue traction.
We do not have a paid partnership with any U.S. business banking provider listed here; status reflects approval patterns reported by founders we've interacted with, current as of May 2026. Verify before relying.
Common scenarios
Chilean content creator / YouTuber
AdSense + sponsorship revenue routed through U.S. LLC.
What you do: Form 5472 required. W-8BEN for treaty rate.
Chilean ecommerce on Amazon / Shopify
Selling to U.S. customers from U.S. LLC.
What you do: Form 5472 + state sales tax nexus.
Common pitfalls
- SII reporting on outbound remittances β funding your U.S. LLC may have Chilean disclosure implications.
- Treaty W-8BEN required to claim reduced withholding rates from U.S. payors.
- Treaty entered into force December 19, 2023 β check applicability for prior years' filings.
- 2026 U.S. remittance excise tax: the 1% rule is limited to cash-funded consumer transfers, not ordinary LLC bank-account wires. See the linked remittance excise tax guide for the statutory scope.
2026 U.S. remittance excise tax:The enacted 1% tax is limited to certain cash-, money-order-, and cashier's-check-funded consumer transfers. It does not apply merely because an LLC sends an ordinary bank-account-funded wire abroad. Read the scope and exceptions before choosing a transfer method.
What this page is NOT
- Chilean taxes (IVA, impuesto de primera categorΓa, impuesto global complementario) and SII compliance.
- Personalized analysis of your specific structure.
Ready to file from Chile?
The Form 5472 wizard takes about 15 minutes. You sign and submit yourself.