What is the difference between AS corp and LLC?
Michael Gray
Updated on March 09, 2026
An LLC is a type of business entity, while an S corporation is a tax classification. (You can form an LLC and choose to be taxed as an S corporation, but your business can also operate under the default taxation system for LLCs.)
What is the tax difference between a corporation and an LLC?
When an LLC is taxed as a pass-through entity, its members must pay taxes on their share of the profits, whether or not that money stays in the business or is distributed to their personal account. By contrast, C corporation owners are taxed only on the actual amount they receive as dividends.
Who pays more taxes LLC or Corp?
Because distributions are taxed at both the corporate and the shareholder level, C corporations and their shareholders often end up paying more in taxes than S corporations or LLCs.
What’s the difference between a LLC and a corporation?
An LLC is a limited liability company. It’s not a corporation, and you don’t incorporate a business as an LLC. Both register with a state, but an LLC doesn’t “incorporate.” Corporations, LLCs, and Limited Liability
Can a LLC be taxed as a C corporation?
While a C corporation does not have any choice in terms of federal income tax treatment, an LLC, which is not a corporation and is not considered a separate entity from its owners, can choose to be taxed either as an S corporation or a C corporation.
What’s the difference between A S corporation and a C corporation?
An S corporation is a corporation that has elected special tax status. Both of these corporate entity statuses share the following: They have shareholders, directors and officers.
Can a LLC be switched to a S corporation?
It’s generally advisable to start out with an LLC entity, but this rule of thumb might not suit everyone. Tax law allows you to switch tax-free to an S corporation if you’re already an LLC, but you can’t do the reverse—you can’t switch to an LLC when you’re an S corporation.