A US company, from Brazil.
In May 2025 the government raised the tax on sending money abroad from 0.38% to 3.5%, a nearly ninefold jump, and after Congress fought it and the Supreme Court weighed in, the higher rate stood. It applies when you bring your own earnings home. A US LLC holding USD in a US bank account lets you decide when that day comes, instead of on every transfer.
What's included
- LLC or C-Corp filed in the state you choose, in 1-2 business days
- EIN from the IRS with no SSN required
- Registered agent and a US business address
- Operating agreement and your stamped formation certificate
- The domain, if you still need one, at the price you keep renewing at
- Bookkeeping and US tax filing when the company starts trading
What it costs
Plus the state filing fee, paid straight through to the Secretary of State. Wyoming $100, New Mexico $50, Delaware $110 with a $300 annual franchise tax on top.
What Brazilian guides skip
The 3.5% IOF is not going away
Decree 12,466 raised the IOF on most outbound currency transfers from 0.38% to 3.5% in May 2025. Congress voted to overturn it, the Supreme Federal Tribunal reinstated it anyway, and there is no announced reduction timeline. It applies when funds move from a foreign account to Brazil, not while they sit in a US LLC's bank account.
MEI does not cover foreign income, and Stripe wants a CNPJ you may not have
The MEI regime most small Brazilian freelancers use is not built for exporting services and can put you in an irregular position if you rely on it for foreign clients. Stripe requires a CNPJ and, since April 2026, a liveness check and income declaration for any Brazilian-connected account. A US LLC with its own EIN gets a Stripe account that does not depend on either.
Carne-Leao taxes you the month you receive the money, not when you bring it home
Brazil taxes residents on worldwide income, and a freelancer receiving foreign payments with no local withholding agent must self-assess monthly through Carne-Leao at progressive rates up to 27.5%, calculated the month funds become available, regardless of whether you have repatriated them yet. There is no US-Brazil tax treaty, so there is no treaty relief to fall back on. A US LLC changes how you get paid, not this filing obligation.
Can you actually open a US bank account?
The honest answer, which is more than most providers will give you.
What actually works for Brazilian founders
- Payoneer integrates directly with Upwork and Fiverr and is the most reliable option for Brazilian platform-based freelancers.
- Mercury does not list Brazil as a prohibited country, though approval requires real evidence of US business activity.
- Stripe becomes usable once the LLC has its EIN, without needing a Brazilian CNPJ at all.
What to know before you rely on it
- Wise only supports personal accounts in Brazil, not business or MEI accounts, so it is not a full substitute for a US LLC's banking.
- We cannot confirm Relay's official position on Brazil from any source we would publish as fact. Apply and verify directly rather than assuming either way.
- A registered agent address is not a business address, which matters for whichever provider you use.
- The EIN takes 4-6 weeks for non-US founders, and most payment tools need it before they fully activate.
Why we say this out loud. Every competitor advertises a US bank account as though it were part of the package. It is not, for anyone, and pretending otherwise just moves the disappointment to after you have paid. Form the company for the entity, the EIN and the ability to take Stripe payments. Treat the bank account as a separate application with a real chance of rejection.
Real platforms this comes up against
Everything else your US company needs
EIN without an SSN
The step that stalls most non-US founders. We run the SS-4 process end to end.
Form 5472 and US filings
Foreign-owned LLCs file every year even at zero income. The penalty for missing it is $25,000.
Form the company
LLC or C-Corp in any of the 50 states, with the EIN and registered agent included.
Founders from other countries
Exchange control, your SARS position, and the honest answer on US banking.
CBN currency rules, Stripe access, and which banks actually work.
BoG licensing rules, GRA filing, and the Stripe-Paystack workaround.
PayPal's 2026 freeze wave, CBK's no exchange controls, and the KRA position.
PayPal's 8% conversion tax, CBE forex rules, and the zero-rated VAT on exports.
BIR registration, remittance limits, and Mercury vs Relay.
SBP rules, why PayPal is not the answer, and what is.
PayPal's announced-but-not-live access, CBSL's 2026 repatriation rules, and IRD's new freelancer tax.
Bangladesh Bank's 2026 forex overhaul, the IT tax exemption, and Mercury's ban.
SBV forex rules, Decree 117's platform withholding, and why Stripe needs a US LLC.
Why Stripe is invite-only, Mercury's ban, and the DHE repatriation rules.
The 100% tax deduction that still needs a foreign bank, and why Stripe still says no.
The cepo cambiario after 2025, why Stripe still won't onboard you, and the LEC.
The ATO LLC classification trap, CFC rules, and the DTA.
IRD's foreign investment fund rules and the US-NZ DTA.
How this works. NameMarshal is not a law firm or an accountancy practice, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Company formation, EIN and registered agent services here are fulfilled by our formation partner doola. Foreign-owned US LLCs generally have to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with no income, and the penalty for missing it is steep. Ask us and we will point you at someone licensed to handle it.