Accounting for non-US owners

Accounting where ownership, management, and cash do not sit in the same country

Businesses owned by non-US founders often struggle with accounting even when operations are straightforward.

The issue is not the legal structure or the fact that the owner lives outside the US. It is that accounting systems are rarely designed for situations where ownership, banking, and day-to-day activity span multiple countries. When this reality is not reflected properly in the books, financial reporting becomes difficult to interpret and harder to support.

Why accounting for non-US owners often fails in practice

Most accounting systems assume a simple reality: the owner lives where the business operates, management decisions happen locally, and money moves through one set of domestic bank accounts.

That assumption breaks down quickly for non-US owners.

In practice, founders may inject funds from overseas, pay expenses personally, use foreign bank accounts or FX platforms, and manage the business remotely. None of this is unusual, but if the accounting framework does not explicitly allow for it, the records become distorted.

Problems tend to appear when bookkeeping follows bank deposits too closely and ignores why money moved. Owner funding is treated like revenue. Personal payments are booked inconsistently. Related-party activity is mixed into operating expenses. Over time, equity, loan balances, and cash positions no longer reconcile in a way that makes sense.

The result is financial statements that technically balance, but are difficult to explain, defend, or rely on, particularly once a tax preparer or external reviewer becomes involved.

These issues are not a consequence of foreign ownership. They arise when accounting is not designed to reflect how the business is actually funded and operated. Businesses with non-US owners need accounting that clearly separates ownership activity from day-to-day operations and records transactions based on their substance, not their convenience.

How we support non-US owned businesses

We support businesses owned by non-US founders with accounting and tax structures that recognise cross-border ownership as a normal operating condition.

Our work typically includes:

Clear treatment of owner funding, loans, and equity
Consistent handling of reimbursements and personal payments
Proper identification of related-party transactions
Reconciliation of cash movements across jurisdictions
Financial reporting that supports downstream filings and reviews

The objective is not complexity. It is clarity. The numbers should explain how the business is funded and operates, not create uncertainty.

Who is this for

We work with businesses owned by non-US founders, including:

US companies with non-resident individual owners
Businesses owned by foreign parent companies
International founders operating US-based entities
Companies where ownership and management are geographically separated

This applies across service, technology, platform, and trading models.

How we work

Our approach is accrual-based and systems-led. We focus on structure, reconciliation discipline, and reporting that management can rely on.

We do not rely on cash shortcuts, automated categorisation alone, or “close enough” solutions that break as the business grows.

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Disclaimer:
Content published by Antravia is provided for informational purposes only and reflects research, industry analysis, and our professional perspective. It does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. Regulations vary by jurisdiction, and individual circumstances differ. Readers should seek advice from a qualified professional before making decisions that could affect their business. See also our Disclaimer page