Payments Without Borders

How to get your money out of a US company when you live abroad

Updated 2026-10-21

Owning a US company lets you use Stripe or PayPal from a country they don't serve. But the money doesn't go straight to your personal account at home: it passes through the company first. Here is the path, step by step, and what each side expects from you.

The path of the money

  • 1. A customer pays by card or PayPal. The payment is made to your company, not to you personally.
  • 2. Stripe or PayPal pays the money, minus fees, into the company's US bank account. In the US, Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢ per domestic card payment, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% when a currency conversion is needed.
  • 3. You transfer money from the company to yourself. For a single-member LLC, this is a distribution to the owner, not a salary.
  • 4. The transfer goes abroad to your personal account, usually by international bank transfer, and your bank converts it into local currency.

Step 1: make sure a US bank will accept you

This is where many founders get stuck. US banking services decide based on where you live, not only on where your company is. Mercury, for example, publishes a list of countries of residence it doesn't serve, including Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Check the bank's official list before you form the company.

Step 2: the US paperwork

  • A single-member LLC owned by a foreign person must file Form 5472, attached to a pro forma Form 1120, for each year with reportable transactions.
  • Money you put into the company and distributions you take out are among the transactions to report.
  • The penalty for not filing is $25,000, and more if the failure continues after the IRS notifies you.
  • The company must keep books and records that support what it reports.

Step 3: the paperwork at home

  • Your bank at home will usually ask where the money comes from. Keep the company's formation documents, its US bank statements, your Stripe or PayPal reports and your invoices.
  • Declare the income to your country's tax authority.
  • If your country has exchange controls, owning a company or money abroad may require a declaration or an authorization. Check with your central bank or exchange-control office, and a local accountant, before you form the company.

In short

Customer → Stripe or PayPal → the company's US bank account → a documented distribution → your bank at home. Legal means declared on both sides and backed by documents.

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules depend on your situation and your country.

US company

Firstbase

Formation: $99 one-time plus the state fee (price shown on Firstbase's pricing page). Registered agent: $299 per state per year. Tax filing for a non-US-owned single-member LLC: $899 per year.

Offer. New customers get $25 off their first order with the code PARTNERGIFT2024 (confirm at checkout).

Go to Firstbase (opens in a new tab)

Official sources

Checked 2026-10-21. Prices and rules change: confirm on the official page before you act.

Check your own country's options before you start: see all countries.