LLC × residence calculator · Edition 2026.09
If you lived in Nicaragua: how much tax you would pay on your LLC profit
Nicaragua is territorial: only income derived from activity within its territory is taxed (art. 10, Law 822), even if received abroad. The profit of an LLC billing clients outside Nicaragua, with no activity tied to the country, is not Nicaraguan-source income and is not taxed.
Isaac Cubero · Checked on 14 September 2026 · territorial
At $100,000 of profit
On $100,000 of LLC profit, living in Nicaragua, you would pay $0 income tax (territorial regime), with conditions.
territorial
| Income tax on foreign-source business income | $0 |
| Estimated total | $0 |
Sources: Law 822, Tax Concertation Law (2012), arts. 10, 13, 14, 16, 23, 37, 52, 61-62 and 87-89 · Law 987, Reform Law to Law 822 (Official Gazette No. 41, 28-Feb-2019): repeals the annual rate reduction (art. 4) and raises the capital-income withholding from 10% to 15% (art. 87.2) · Central Bank of Nicaragua, 2026 official exchange rate (0% crawl, NIO/USD 36.6243) · Fixed exchange rate 37 NIO/USD.
Rank 1 of 38 residences by effective rate at this profit.
- 2026 scale for work and business income (arts. 23 and 52, Law 822, without the 1-point annual reduction, repealed by Law 987 of 2019).
- The LLC's profit is foreign-source: the work is rendered outside Nicaragua and no client or asset is tied to the country.
- The foreign company's capital is not of Nicaraguan origin.
- If you physically work from Nicaragua for foreign clients, the activity happens 'within Nicaraguan territory' (art. 10) and the DGI can treat it as local business income, taxed under the corporate rate or the individual progressive scale (10-30%).
- If you fund the foreign company with capital of Nicaraguan origin, its dividends become Nicaraguan-source (art. 16.II) and are subject to the 15% definitive withholding (arts. 87 and 89).
- An S.A. with annual gross income up to NIO 12,000,000 (≈ USD 326,000) settles income tax with the progressive scale of art. 52 (10-30% by bracket) instead of the flat 30%; above that threshold it pays the higher of the annual tax and the minimum definitive payment (1-3% of gross income, arts. 61-62).
- US sanctions since 2018 and OFAC listings on Nicaraguan banks and officials can complicate banking access, though they do not change the tax figure.
- Law 822, Tax Concertation Law (2012), arts. 10, 13, 14, 16, 23, 37, 52, 61-62 and 87-89
- Law 987, Reform Law to Law 822 (Official Gazette No. 41, 28-Feb-2019): repeals the annual rate reduction (art. 4) and raises the capital-income withholding from 10% to 15% (art. 87.2)
- Central Bank of Nicaragua, 2026 official exchange rate (0% crawl, NIO/USD 36.6243)
- Fixed exchange rate 37 NIO/USD.
At three profit levels
What you would pay in Nicaragua depending on what your LLC earns.
| Annual profit | Estimated tax | Effective rate | You would keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $0 | 0% | $50,000 |
| $100,000 | $0 | 0% | $100,000 |
| $250,000 | $0 | 0% | $250,000 |
And if it were not an LLC
The five cheapest structures from Nicaragua, distributing all the profit.
| Structure | Corporate | Withholding | You, in Nicaragua | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US LLC | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0%$0 |
| UAE free zone | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0%$0 |
| Hong Kong Ltd | $8,250 | $0 | $0 | 8.3%$8,250 |
| Bulgarian EOOD | $10,000 | $4,500 | $0 | 14.5%$14,500 |
| Cyprus Ltd | $15,000 | $0 | $0 | 15%$15,000 |
Frequently asked questions
Does a US LLC pay tax if I live in Nicaragua?
The LLC pays no US federal tax if it has no US activity. Nicaragua is territorial: only income derived from activity within its territory is taxed (art. 10, Law 822), even if received abroad. The profit of an LLC billing clients outside Nicaragua, with no activity tied to the country, is not Nicaraguan-source income and is not taxed.
How much would I pay in Nicaragua on $100,000 of profit?
On $100,000 of LLC profit, living in Nicaragua, you would pay $0 income tax (territorial regime), with conditions. If you physically work from Nicaragua for foreign clients, the activity happens 'within Nicaraguan territory' (art. 10) and the DGI can treat it as local business income, taxed under the corporate rate or the individual progressive scale (10-30%).
Is Nicaragua a territorial country?
Yes: it only taxes local-source income. The profit of an LLC operated from abroad is not taxed, provided the work is rendered outside Nicaragua.
Next
The figure is the start. The structure is the decision.
To see Nicaragua against the other 37 residences: the full ladder.