Got a letter from my registered agent in Kentucky saying I need to file some kind of compliance thing. I run a tiny LLC, barely any revenue, and I've never gotten one of these before. Is this legit or are they just trying to scare me into paying for extra services? The letter mentions annual report but I thought that was already handled when I formed the company. Any idea what's going on?
Compliance
Why did my Kentucky registered agent send me a compliance reminder?
Kentucky requires an annual report for LLCs.It's due between Jan 1 and June 30. If you formed last year, you might have missed it. The agent is probably just reminding you cuz they're required to or they offer filing services. Not a scam, but you can file it yourself on the state website for like $15.
What CrankySquirrel said. Also, check if your agent charges a fee to file it for you. Some do, some don't. The state fee is $15, but agents often tack on $50-$100 for the convenience. If you're comfortable with the Secretary of State's website, just do it yourself.
Compliance reminder? More like a revenue reminder for them. But yeah, annual report is a thing. I got one last year and panicked too. Filed online in 10 minutes. Don't pay the agent unless you really hate forms.
Hold on, is the annual report the same as the registered agent statement? I thought those were separate. In some states they are. Kentucky might combine them? I'm in Ohio and we have a biennial report plus a separate agent update.
In KY, the annual report includes updating your registered agent info. So it's one filing. You confirm the agent and principal office address. No separate statement.
Also, if you don't file, you get hit with a penalty. I think it's $100 late fee. So don't ignore it. The reminder might be annoying but it's better than a fine.
Oh great, another compliance thing. Next they'll want a blood sample. But seriously, just fle the report. It's not that hard. And if you're really unsure, call the Secretary of State's office. They're actually helpful.
Blood sample made me laugh. But yeah, calbl the state. I did once and got a real human in like 5 minutes. Shocking, I know.
Wait, i just remembered: some registered agents send those reminders as a courtesy but also as a sales pitch. If the letter looks official but has a bunch of upseells, it's probably from a third-party compliance company, not the state. The state sends plain postcards or emails. Did it have a bunch of service options?
It did have a bunch of options to pay for filing service, registered agent renewal, etc. So it's from my agent, not the state. Good to know. I'll just file directly with the state.
Yeah, that's typical. They want you to use their service. Nothing wrong with that, but you can save a few buCks. Just make sure you file before June 30 or whenever your deadline is. Don't wait until the last minute, the site gets slow.
And double-check that your agent is still active. Sometimes they send reminders to keep you on the hook, but if you don't need them, you can change agents. But that might be more hassle than it's worth for a tiny LLC.
Tiny LLC, tiny problems. At least it's not Delaware. Those franchise taxes are no joke.
True. Kentucky's pretty cheap. Just file the report and move on. You'll get another one next year, so set a remindeR.