Employer Identification Number

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Starting a new business is an exciting, but busy time with so much to be done and so little time to do it in. And, if you expect to have employees, there are a variety of federal and state forms and applications that will need to be completed to get your business up and running. That’s where a tax professional can help.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Securing an Employer Identification Number (also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number) is the first thing that needs to be done, since many other forms require it. EINs are issued by the IRS to employers, sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, nonprofit associations, trusts, estates, government agencies, certain individuals, and other business entities for tax filing and reporting purposes. Read More

Written by Dan Gordon | Posted in Small Business

On May 2, the IRS issued final regulations requiring taxpayers that obtain employer identification numbers (EINs) to update their information with the IRS (T.D. 9617). The regulations, which will apply beginning Jan. 1, 2014, gives the IRS time to publish the relevant form and instructions, adopt without change proposed regulations that were issued last year (REG‑135491‑10).

The IRS issues EINs (which take the form 00‑0000000) to employers, sole proprietors, corporations, partnerships, nonprofit associations, trusts, estates, government agencies, certain individuals, and other business entities for tax filing and reporting purposes. Apparently, many EINs are issued to nominees that act on the applicant’s behalf but then are no longer authorized to represent the applicant.

To address this problem, the IRS revised Form SS‑4, Application for Employer Identification Number, to require the disclosure of the applicant’s “responsible party“ and that person‘s Social Security number, individual taxpayer identification number, or EIN. The definition of responsible party depends on the type of entity applying for the EIN and is listed in the instructions to Form SS‑4. Read More