Get Your Federal Employer Identification Number

What Is An EIN?

An EIN (also called a Federal Employment Identification Number or FEIN) is a unique nine-digit tax ID number that the IRS assigns to businesses. Similar to a person’s social security number, an EIN is used by businesses to open bank accounts, apply for loans and licenses, fulfill tax obligations, and to help protect the identity of the business owner.

Do I Need An EIN?

Most businesses will need an EIN to pay federal taxes or if they intend to hire employees. Additionally, many banks require an EIN to open a business bank account.

If you aren’t sure if your business needs an EIN, just ask yourself these questions:

• Is my business a partnership or corporation?
• Do I have employees?
• Is my business involved with mortgage investments?
• Do I withhold taxes on any income other than wages paid to a nonresident alien?
• Is my business involved with nonprofit organizations?
• Does my business handle estates, trusts or IRAs?
• Do I file a return for employment, tobacco, alcohol, firearms or excise taxes?
• Does my business have a Keogh plan (a retirement plan for self-employed individuals or those who work for unincorporated businesses)?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, your business probably needs an EIN.

Need more information about EINs? Check out our page on How to Get an EIN for your business.

EIN Benefits

Even if you aren’t legally required to have an EIN, it often makes sense to get one. Here’s why:

• Simplifies Tax Filings
  Having an EIN will streamline the process of filing federal and state taxes, helping your business avoid late fees and penalties.
  
• Strengthens Liability Protection
  An EIN shows that you and your business are separate entities, which can strengthen your claim to liability protection in the event that your business is sued or goes bankrupt.

• Helps Protect Your Identity
  Using an EIN for business purposes helps to shield your SSN from being passed around, which reduces the risk of identity theft.

• Can Make You Seem More Credible
  Using an EIN for business transactions instead of your SSN can make your business seem more legitimate.
• Usually Needed to Open a Business Bank Account
  Most banks will require your business to have an EIN to open a business bank account.

How Our EIN Service Works

Dealing with the IRS isn’t easy. At Northwest, we’re happy to do it for you. No hassles. No upsells. Just great service.

When you hire us to get an EIN for your business, our professional staff will gather your information and submit it to the IRS for you. If there are any problems with the filing, we’ll work with the IRS to resolve them as fast and efficiently as possible.

How much does Northwest’s EIN service cost?

The price of our EIN service varies depending on whether your business’s responsible party has an SSN or not.

• If you have an SSN: $50
  In this case, it’s a piece of cake for you. We charge $50 to get you an EIN from the IRS. We’ll prepare and file your paperwork online with the IRS and get your business its EIN in just a few days.  Because the IRS makes it easier and faster to get an EIN when the business’s responsible party has an SSN, we can keep your costs lower. Just $50.
• If you don’t have an SSN: $200
  Here, it’s a bit more complicated. When a business’s responsible party doesn’t have an SSN, we can’t file your EIN application online, and the application is a lot more complex. We still file it fast (in around 2 days), but it takes about 120 days for the IRS to do its part. That’s why our EIN service for applicants without an SSN costs $200 instead.

Who is my business’s responsible party?

Your business’s responsible party is an individual who directs, manages and/or controls your business, and the IRS requires the name and social security number (SSN) of this responsible party of the individual has an SSN. For for-profit and nonprofit corporations, the responsible party will likely be a principal officer. For limited liability companies (LLCs), the responsible party is typically a member with authority over the LLC’s finances and assets.

Learn more about who to name as your responsible party.

What if I haven’t formed my business yet?

You’ve come to the right place. At Northwest we specialize in forming businesses, so it’s no trouble for us to help you get your business started at the same time that you hire us to file your EIN application with the IRS. Simply hire us to start your corporation or form your LLC in your state, and you can tack on our EIN service as an optional item at checkout.

It’s still just $50 to get an EIN if you have a social security number ($200 if you don’t). Nothing changes, except now you’ve made your business official at the state level and received the EIN your business needs.

GET STARTED