What is a Delaware limited liability company (LLC)?

Delaware LLC

An LLC is a relatively new type of entity in the United States. If properly structured, it combines the limited liability of a corporation with the pass-through taxation of a partnership. However, it is important to clarify that while LLCs can be treated as partnerships, they are not corporations.

An LLC is a business vehicle with a legal existence separate and distinct from its owners. Owners and managers are not personally liable for the company's debts and obligations. These features, when combined with non-U.S. source income, mean non-resident aliens of the United States can avoid U.S. taxation when using an LLC.

Read more: Delaware LLC formation requirements

LLC Operating Agreement

The operations and management of an LLC are governed by a written agreement, composed by its owners, called an LLC Operating Agreement. The Delaware Limited Liability Company Act allows the parties to define their operations, management and business relationship in the LLC Operating Agreement. This is known as freedom of contract.

An LLC guarantees secure confidentiality as well as the ability to create a customized management structure that establishes the economic relationship among owners. The LLC Operating Agreement can be written in any language and is typically not required to be translated into English.

How to Manage an LLC

While the Delaware LLC law permits a Delaware LLC to be managed by its members, it does not require members to be managers. More importantly, the law also states that no member or manager is personally responsible for any debts, obligations or liabilities of the Delaware LLC solely by being a member or acting as a manager.

Read more: 

• Delaware Corporation vs LLC
• Delaware corporate registry