To remove a member of an LLC in Texas depends on how the corporation was formed from the onset. Many folks start enterprises with good intentions – Business owners have a common goal and collaborate to make it a reality. They usually form a limited liability company to ensure optimal tax perks while minimizing business compliances.

When any kind of dispute occurs, most business owners wonder how to remove a member from an LLC in order to safeguard themselves and their interests.

The procedure is usually the same, whether you want to remove a member from an LLC due to disagreements, economic misconduct, or as the member’s interests have deviated. According to Texas law, a member of an LLC could neither voluntarily retract nor be evicted from a Texas LLC.

An agreement, however, can override this legislative de facto restriction.  There are only two alternatives for discarding a member from an LLC, except if the partnership agreement includes a stipulation for pullout or eviction. The first is the court’s dissolution, and the second is involuntary dissolution.

A high percentage vote of the members is required for voluntary dissolution. While a court order is required for involuntary dissolution.

Steps to Remove a Member from an LLC in Texas

There is no straightforward legislative act in Texas that stipulates membership withdrawal from the corporation, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. Owing to that, here are some things to take into consideration;

  1. Refer to your Texas LLC operating agreement

Your Texas LLC operating agreement should contain clauses for reacting to an LLC member’s departure, including:

  • Conditions: The events under which a member may willingly pull back or be omitted (including voting procedures).
  • Notice: The fashion in which a member should always convey their intentions to pull back or even the means of informing a member of your desire to dislodge them, and/or maybe to the time frame in which they have to react.
  • Interest: How well the departing member’s ownership stake is calculated, how they should be rewarded for that involvement, or even how surviving equity is allocated.
  1. Voluntary Dissolution

When lacking an operating agreement outlining specific guidelines for member departures and evictions, the Texas LLC rule mandates the full LLC to be dissolved in order to rid a partner.

The majority of members are required to dissolve the LLC voluntarily. If a large proportion of the members end up voting to disintegrate the company, all stakeholders are cleared from the company and therefore are allowed to start over without the participant they would like to remove.

  1. Involuntary Dissolution

A court ruling is required for the involuntary dissolution of an LLC. Legal experts in Texas had already acknowledged that when there is no operating agreement or another consensus among the members of the LLC, it causes a serious quandary.

An experienced Texas business formation lawyer will assist you in crafting an arrangement that caters to the needs of your company.

  1. Any Other Written Contracts, Like A Buyout Agreement

You should revisit any other binding contract the LLC has, including a buyout agreement, which often includes details on how to compensate a departing member. It also might explain what the remaining members must do in response to the exiting member’s involvement.

  1. Finish the Membership Change

Do everything necessary to accomplish the Texas LLC change of ownership, depending on what is embedded in the paperwork. This requires maintaining a complete account of the events leading up to the separation, along with compensating the departing member.

  1. Contact the Secretary of  the State

If your LLC is controlled by members, the secretary of the State necessitates that every member is addressed and names are upgraded. This could be attained in two manners:

  • Submitting an amendment to the LLC’s Certificate of Organization and the latest updates in the Texas Franchise Tax Public Information Report is submitted with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on a yearly basis.
  • No need to notify the secretary of the State if a manager controls your corporation.
  1. Make Contact With The Internal Revenue Service

If dropping a member alters your LLC’s tax status—for instance, if your multi-member would become a single-member LLC—you must notify the IRS. Then your de facto tax status will change from “partnership” to “disregarded entity,” and you’ll require a fresh EIN for your LLC.