An employer identification number (EIN) is a federal business tax ID number that is issued by the IRS. It is essential for conducting different types of business transactions including tax filing, opening business bank accounts, and applying for small business loans. Then there are times when you may need to check the EIN of another business entity you are dealing with and the process of finding their tax ID number is called EIN look up. Show
Introduction to EINA business tax ID number like the Employer Identification Number (EIN) is used for many purposes and yet it is not used on a day-to-day basis. As a result, you might not remember the number off the hook just like you remember your business phone number or address. So, what happens when you need to use the EIN on business documentation or need to find the EIN of a vendor? This is where an EIN look up will help you to find the tax ID number. There are different aspects, processes, and tools or a resource for finding an employer identification number and this guide has been created to help you understand the different processes involved. EIN of a CompanyAn employer identification number (EIN) of a company is one of the important tax ID numbers that is required by different types of public companies, non-profit organizations, and private companies among others. Since, most businesses have to obtain an EIN prior to transacting in any state in the US, you can also use several resources to find EIN numbers for other businesses as well. What is an EIN of a company?When you form or register a new business in any state in the US, you will also have to simultaneously apply for the federal tax ID also known as an employer identification number (EIN). This is a mandatory requirement and is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This tax ID number is used for identifying a business entity and hence sometimes businesses use EIN look up resources to check their own EIN or that of other companies. There are a wide variety of businesses like Business Corporation and partnerships that require this tax ID number and it is also required when the ownership or structure of a specific business entity has changed. Why is it important to know your EIN?An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a unique nine-digit number, which is primarily used for identification of a business for tax purposes. It is also used for providing tax statements of a specific entity to the tax lawyers. It is important to know your EIN because once you have this business tax ID number, it may fulfill a wide variety of purposes including filing of tax returns. Sometimes, you may require this business tax ID number for a loan application or for any other important business requirement like application for business license or even to hire employees. In such a scenario, if you don’t remember the number, you can find the EIN number using different resources. The bottom-line is that if you are unable to remember your EIN number when filing an important document then the filing may get delayed, which could be unprofitable for the business. EIN Look up: Finding your company’s EINAn EIN look up is a process by which you can find this unique nine-digit business tax ID number of your company as well as any other business in the US. There is always a probability that you may need to find the EIN of another company you are planning to do business with. There are other times when you may need to find your own EIN for an important business related application. There can be any number of reasons why you may need to find your business tax ID number but the question is how you go about looking up your EIN. Find EIN number from EIN confirmation letterOne of the ways to find an EIN number is with the help of the employer identification number (EIN) confirmation letter. In order to understand what the confirmation letter is and how do you find EIN, let’s look at an example:
When a business applies for an EIN by submitting Form SS-4, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issues a Form CP 575 after two weeks post approval to confirm that an Employer Identification Number (EIN) that has been issued for the business in question. The Form CP 575 contains the EIN number allotted to a business and this letter is sometimes used by businesses for EIN look up. Contact IRS directly to find EINOne of the most common ways to find an EIN number is by contacting the Internal Revenue Service directly. Most often than not, businesses contact the IRS only when they have lost or misplaced their Employer Identification Number (EIN). You will be required to call the Business & Specialty Tax phone number at 800-829-4933 between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm local time from Monday through to Friday. You will be required to provide identifying information to an assistor and you will receive the information only if you are an authorized person. Authorized persons according to the IRS include a business partner, sole proprietor, corporate officers, executors of an estate etc. Look in other company documents where an EIN can be foundIf you are unable to remember your EIN or have misplaced it then one of the options for business EIN lookup is by trying to find it in other company related documents. Some of the documents where you can search for the employer identification number (EIN) include: You will be able to find an EIN number in the computer-generated notice that was issued by the IRS after you applied for the tax ID. This is a type notice that confirms that you have applied for an EIN and received it. Do you need an EIN for your company?Finding another company’s EINWhy would you need to find the EIN number of another company? The most commonly stated reason includes validation of information provided by another company. Sometimes when one business chooses its vendors, retailers, or partnership businesses, such a business has to provide relevant information regarding its credibility. In order to check their credibility and to find out if the business exists, you may be required to search its Employer Identification Number. There are several ways to find out the EIN, so let’s look at your options.
EDGAR FilingsEDGAR stands for the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system and it contains a massive database of public companies in the US. The EDGAR system performs a variety of tasks including automated collection of information, indexing, acceptance, validation, and forwarding of any submissions made by public companies as well as other businesses as are required by the law to file specific forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Public companies and other regulated business entities have to also submit quarterly, periodic, and annual reports to the SEC and hence the EDGAR filings are often used for EIN look up. What is EDGAR Filing?EDGAR filing is an electronic filing process that has been created so that public companies and other relevant businesses can submit several types of documents including financial statements, annual reports, and other formal business documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The objective of EDGAR filing is to gather data, analyze it and retrieve as and when required or if specific information is searched for like when you want to find the EIN number of another company. The aim of the EDGAR filing system is to provide benefit to electronic filers by enhancing speed and efficiency of SEC’s processing, which in-turn ensures financial and corporate information is made available to investors as well as members of the financial community with ease. This information availability means you will be able to also find the EIN number of any public company listed in the system. The EDGAR filing system is geared towards ensuring this type of electronic dissemination generates higher informed investor participation and helps in creating an informed securities market. The Regulation S-T as well as the EDGAR Filer Manual contains the rules and regulations that electronic filers need to follow to ensure proper uploading of corporate or financial information. Get your Employer Identification Number (EIN) today! |