Form SS-4

Form SS-4 is available for all entities whose principal place of business or legal residence is in the United States. The form is most often submitted online, though it is possible to apply for an EIN via fax (approximately 4 day turnaround), via paper mail (approximately 4 week turnaround) and by telephone (only for international applicants).

Eligibility requirements for SS-4 are straightforward. If you answer YES to any of the following questions, you need an EIN:

• Do you have employees?
• Do you operate your business as a corporation or a partnership?
• Did you file any of these tax returns: Employment, Excise, or Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms?
• Do you withhold taxes on income, other than wages, paid to a non-resident alien?
• Do you have a Keogh plan?
• Are you involved with any of the following types of organization?

1. Trusts, except certain grantor-owned revocable trusts, IRAs, Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Returns
2. Estates
3. Real estate mortgage investment conduits
4. Non-profit organizations
5. Farmers' cooperatives
6. Plan administrators

If you answer YES to any of the above questions, you will need an EIN.

Quick Tip - Applying online is the fastest way to get an EIN. Do not use your SSN in lieu of an EIN! 

What do I need to file Form SS-4?

If you are confident you are eligible for an EIN (hint: if your principal business is located in the United States and you have a valid Taxpayer Identification Number [TIN]), you just need basic identifying information of your business.   

Be sure to know the following:

• Legal name (and trade name, if different) of the entity for whom the EIN is being requested
• Contact information for the above
• Name of responsible party, contact information, and SSN/ITIN/EIN 
• Type of business entity (e.g, Partnership, C-Corp, etc.) 
• Various business metrics around expected number of employees (if any), closing month of accounting year, principal business activity (e.g., construction, finance, etc.) and related information.

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