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