Does anyone know if I can register my company to get a TAX ID, online?

thanks.

The application for a taxpayer ID number is available at http://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf. You can fax it in, phone in the info and follow up by mail, or mail it.

Best regards.

-- Jon

I didn't think hosting services was taxed in any state.

As for income tax, if you're organized as a sole prop you report it under your own SS#.

Originally posted by Jaiem
I didn't think hosting services was taxed in any state.

As for income tax, if you're organized as a sole prop you report it under your own SS#.

I do know that in West Virginia, they require you to get a business tax collection ID regardless and you just have to put $0 on it every time you send it in (quarterly).

We are in Mass and we have to fill out a sales tax return every quarter and put 0 on it, but what clever was referring to is a Federal Tax ID or Taxpayer Identification Number.

If you are a sole proprietorship, you just use your SSN, but if you are a corporation, you should have a Federal Tax ID number from the IRS.

Hi..

Thanks to all of you for the replies.

I need to open a business bank account, and they require to have company tax id. :bawling:

Check with another bank. I opened mine with a copy of a business license. As a sole proprietorship they should not require a fed tax ID number.

Hi..

thanks..

... but is it possible to register a company online?

Wow, they really should accept a business licence. Have you tried to put your SSN in its place? 95% of home businesses don't have a Tax ID... so they shouldn't have a problem accepting a SSN.

Geez, what's the big deal? If you are not a solo proprietor, and need an ID number (other than your SS #) you just call the IRS (number on the forms available at the link I posted above), and they give you a number. Easy as can be. I don't think you can obtain an ID number online yet, but if picking up the phone and calling seems that off-putting to you, then you've been at the keyboard WAY too long and should call just for the verbal practice. . .

All the best.

-- JB (who's been at the keyboard way too long, but not WAY too long)

in my city, if i were to run a home-based business myself and do not charge tax on my products/services, i do not need a business license................


does anyone know of any state/fed laws that contradict this???

Banks make their own rules which often go well beyond what the law says (remind me to tell you the story of what happened last year when I need a signature guarantee from my bank - what a nightmare!!!!).

Even if your city/state doesn't require a bus. license the bank you deal with might.

Maybe you don't charge tax on hosting, but you still need to pay taxes on any INCOME that you or your business makes! Everyone is right about the Sole Propriteorship...use the SS number...BUT, if your business gets into any sort of lawsuit, without being a corp., guess who has to foot the bill if you lose? It comes directly out of YOUR pocket, not the business.

My bank also required the Fed. Tax ID.

i know that i have to pay tax on any income...but lawsuits i can avoid if i phrase my terms right......right??

Originally posted by akashd
i know that i have to pay tax on any income...but lawsuits i can avoid if i phrase my terms right......right??

In today's litigious society where people can win big settlements for not realizing that coffee is hot and you should not use your crotch for a cup-holder (that one cost McDonalds millions), that smoking is bad for you and if you ignore the surgeon generals warning or your own common sense it may make you sick (3 billion), or seek damages from video game manufacturers for school shootings, it is impossible to avoid the threat lawsuits.

If you do business honestly and openly, are careful not to set false expectations, and have clear and precise Terms of Service, you can ensure that if you get a letter from a customer or lawyer filled with threats of lawsuits and you have proof that they are unjustified, your own lawyer can respond to their saber rattling and they'll seek easier prey.

Originally posted by clever
H

... but is it possible to register a company online? No, it's not.

As iBusinessLawyer says, the phone's the best way to do it. Get the form first, because they'll ask you information from it but you no longer have to fax a copy; they'll take all the information over the phone at the number on the form. They'll give you your EIN immediately.

The downside is that the number is always swamped. Best bet is call early, like right as soon as they open. The hours are also on the form, I think it's 730 am.

Of course, if you're not in a hurry you can still fax the form or even mail it in, and wait for a reply by mail.

Re: online...

The only thing I'll mention is that California (and thus maybe others) have pdf's online that you can fill in and print out and mail/fax.

Also places such as http://mycorporation.com allow you to do it online (for the most part), though you'd have to take a look at the site to see if that's what you want, etc.

Ah, right, Chicken has a good point. If you really want to get your EIN online, you could do it through one of the companies that offer that service. They'll charge you a fee, probably 40 or 50 dollars to make that phone call to the IRS that you could do for free.

The only thing I'll mention is that California (and thus maybe others) have pdf's online that you can fill in and print out and mail/fax. Yeah, the IRS has them as well; you can use the fedworld.gov address mentioned earlier, or http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/forms_pubs/index.html

I downloaded the file, but something is wrong with my acrobat, it keeps giving me illigal operation.

Could someone paste the application, or upload it in .txt file please?


thanks...

Originally posted by f5hosting
Maybe you don't charge tax on hosting, but you still need to pay taxes on any INCOME that you or your business makes! Everyone is right about the Sole Propriteorship...use the SS number...BUT, if your business gets into any sort of lawsuit, without being a corp., guess who has to foot the bill if you lose? It comes directly out of YOUR pocket, not the business.

Being a Corp won't necessarily protect you from professional liability.

If an engineer forms an engineering corp then he/she makes a bad design, being a corp won't get protect him/her. The only thing that would help is professional liability insurance and good luck getting it for a hosting or web design company!!

Business filings aren't hard at all, at least here in Arkansas. I downloaded all the PDFs from the Arkansas Secretary of Stat's website, typed up my operating agreement, and sent them a check.

A few days later, the Articles of Incorporation showed up at my door.

Filing for the tax id number was easy also. In some areas, you can use "Tele-TIN" which is the IRS's automated Tax Id Number service. However, they do not have that option here - instead, you fax or mail it in. I faxed in my request, and the IRS faxed my tax ID number back to me later the next day. They also send you a hard copy in the regular mail.

There's no sense in paying an attorney or online business to do this for you, when you can do it yourself - VERY EASILY - and save the money.

My bank DID require the tax id number to open the business checking account. I think that most banks will require this, if you sign up for a "business" type checking account.