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Corporate Transparency Act: Business Owners Must Act Now

Client Alert
July 10, 2024

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has been in effect since January 1, 2024. It is vital for reporting companies to file their beneficial ownership information (BOI) report before the year ends. Reporting companies formed prior to January 1, 2024, have less than six (6) months left to file. It is important to act now in order to avoid facing steep penalties for failing to comply with the CTA. Business owners should identify whether their company must report and if so, which individuals within the business entity are required to disclose the personal information designated under the CTA.

The CTA requires reporting companies to file a BOI report. Reporting companies must provide information regarding their entity, beneficial owners, and in some cases, the professional advisor(s) that helped form the entity. Reporting companies must submit the information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Domestic reporting companies include corporations, LLPs, LLCs, and other similar entities that were formed through a filing with the secretary of state or similar office under the law of a state. Foreign reporting companies are those formed under the law of another country and are registered to do business in any U.S. state through filing with a secretary of state or any similar office under the law of a state.

Under the CTA, reporting companies that were formed prior to January 1, 2024, have one (1) year to comply and file their beneficial ownership information report. Reporting companies formed in 2024, must file their report within ninety (90) days of their formation. Reporting companies formed on or after January 1, 2025, will have only thirty (30) days to file their report following their formation.

The purpose of the CTA is to safeguard the U.S. financial system from fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities. There has been a concern in recent years that the U.S. has become a jurisdiction of choice for bad actors to create shell companies that hide the ultimate beneficiaries. Through the CTA, a national registry will be created that will allow the U.S. to obtain all relevant ownership information regarding reporting companies. The registry will enable the U.S. to crack down on illegal activity such as tax fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, and more.

There are harsh penalties for reporting companies that fail to file a timely report to FinCEN. Civil and criminal penalties may result in fines up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to two (2) years, or both. Any person who (i) willfully provides or attempts to provide false/fraudulent information, or (ii) fails to report and/or update a report previously made, may be subject to the aforementioned penalties.

For more information about the CTA or how to comply, please contact BMD Member Blake Gerney at brgerney@bmdllc.com.

Corporate Transparency ActBeneficial Ownership Information ReportingBlake R. Gerney
Client Alert

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May 23, 2025In his latest article, Immigration Attorney and former Immigration Judge Rob Ratliff offers a clear breakdown of Reasonable Fear vs. Credible Fear Interviews—key procedures for noncitizens seeking protection from persecution or torture. Citing Judge Brian Murphy’s recent ruling on unlawful deportations to South Sudan, Ratliff connects these critical legal standards to current judicial developments. Read the full article at www.removal-defense.com.Client Alert

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Corporate Transparency Act Overhauled: U.S. Entities No Longer Required to Report

March 24, 2025The Department of Treasury has issued an interim final rule significantly altering the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). As of March 21, 2025, all U.S.-created entities and their beneficial owners are exempt from reporting requirements. Only non-U.S. entities registered to do business in the U.S. must still report, but they are not required to disclose U.S. citizen owners. Business owners should stay informed on these changes and consult legal counsel for compliance guidance.
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