Note that a single additional authorized share will cause this startup to pay an extra $85. Let’s imagine a Delaware-incorporated company reported total gross assets of $1,000,000 on their federal taxes this year. Keep in mind, this number could be different from the number of shares your company has actually issued. Your authorized share number is the maximum number of shares your corporation could sell based on your corporate bylaws or charter.

Using the Delaware Franchise Tax Calculator

The second reason is bad bank accounts, such as using the wrong bank account on tax filings or not informing your accountant of changes in bank accounts, which can delay tax filings and result in late fees. It’s important for founders to remember that the Delaware Franchise Tax website defaults to the largest tax bill possible when you first log into the site. That’s because the state of Delaware doen’t know how many outstanding shares you have or what your asset base is until you fill out that information.

delaware franchise Tax calculators FOR “AUTHORIZED SHARE METHOD” AND “ASSUMED PAR VALUE METHOD” (2023 Rates)

The minimum tax for the Authorized Shares method is $175.00, while the minimum tax for the Assumed Par Value Capital Method is $400.00. The minimum tax for companies using the Authorized Shares Method is $175, and the maximum annual tax is $200,000. We’ve seen startups get a huge tax bill when this calculation method is used; let’s do an example of a typical, venture backed startup.

Late Payment Penalties – Don’t Miss the Deadline!

Alongside their tax payments, corporations are also required to pay a $50 filing fee for their annual reports. This fee is a small but essential part of maintaining compliance with Delaware’s corporate regulations. Exempt domestic corporations in Delaware are not required to pay franchise tax, but they must still file an annual report. These entities might include non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and certain religious organizations.

However, they are still required to pay the Franchise Tax, which is administered by the Delaware Division of Corporations2. All incorporated entities in Delaware must file an annual report and pay the corresponding franchise tax. Exempt domestic corporations are not subjected to the tax but still need to file an annual report with a filing fee of $253. For C-Corporations, including VC-backed startups that Kruze proudly serves, the Delaware franchise tax and annual report filings are due by March 1st every year. It’s a critical deadline that these corporations must meet to avoid incurring late fees.

This will allow wage expense definition & example for the lowest annual fees which is sometimes beneficial for bootstrapped start-up companies. But what if you plan to bring aboard investors in the future and the need for more authorized shares is required? If the need arises, a Stock Amendment can be filed with the state for approval to increase the number of authorized shares of the Corporation. Certain exempt domestic corporations like charities, civic organizations and religious organizations do not have to pay the franchise tax.

1. Various tools and resources, including the Franchise Tax Calculator, have been designed to assist companies in estimating their franchise tax due accurately.
2. In addition to corporations, Delaware limited liability companies (LLCs), general partnerships, limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) must also pay franchise taxes.
3. In summary, special considerations must be given to Exempt Domestic Corporations, S Corporations, and Large Corporate Filers when dealing with Delaware Franchise Tax.
4. The Delaware Division of Corporations provides two methods to calculate Delaware franchise tax.
5. These entities might include non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and certain religious organizations.

Learn more about this deadline on Delaware’s website; this calculator may not be the best calculator for LLCs / non-C-corps. Most VC backed startups will have very low par value shares, meaning that you’ll end up using the assumed par value in the franchise tax calculation. So step ‎quickbooks accounting on the app store 1 in the directions below is what you’ll multiply against your total number of shares, then you divide by 400/1,000,000 to get to what you owe. If you’ve authorized 5,001 to 10,000 shares, your franchise tax is $250. If your company has authorized 5,000 shares or fewer, your total Delaware franchise tax amount is $175.

The minimum payment using the Assumed Par Value Capital method is $400, and there is no maximum. LLC/LP’s benefit by only having to pay a $300 flat fee for Franchise Tax (not including any filing fees from a Registered Agent). A franchise tax, sometimes called a privilege tax, is a fee you pay for the privilege of doing business in a certain state. Any corporation that is incorporated in Delaware (regardless of where you conduct business) must file an Annual Franchise Tax Report and pay Franchise Tax for the privilege of incorporating in Delaware. Each year the State of Delaware calculates your corporation’s franchise tax obligation based on the Authorized Share Method. For these reasons, more 1 what is a contra asset account the balance of contra asset than a million businesses are incorporated in Delaware, including more than half of all publicly traded and Fortune 500 companies.