What is Form SS-4?
Form SS-4, also known as an SS4 IRS Notification Letter, is an IRS application form you can use to request a nine-digit Employer Identification Number (EIN). An EIN is your business’s Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and is assigned to you for business purposes only.
What is Form SS-4 Used For?
You can use Form SS-4 if you need an EIN to file taxes or report information as an employer, sole proprietor, corporation, partnership, estate, trust, or another similar business entity.
The information on the SS-4 form is used to establish your business tax account, allowing the IRS to identify your business and its associated accounts.
Do I Need to File Form SS-4?
There are many reasons why you would need to file Form SS-4 and apply for an EIN, such as if you:
- Started a new business
- Hired employees
- Need to take out a small business loan
- Opened a bank account for your business
- Created a trust
- Created a pension plan
- Bought a going business
- Are you administering an estate
- Are a single-member LLC, or more
Only one EIN will be assigned to you per business entity, except when you enter a new partnership or own a group with multiple affiliated corporations.
Form SS-4 Sample
Here’s what a form SS-4 looks like:
