How the Executor under the Will can obtain a tax ID number for the Estate. Also to be used by Administrator of Estate where there is no Will.

   How the Executor under the Will can obtain a tax ID number for the Estate. Also to be used by Administrator of Estate where there is no Will.

        The decedent and their estate are separate taxable entities.  The Executor will need to obtain a tax ID number for the estate from the IRS. If no Will, the Executor duties are handled by the Administrator. An estate’s tax ID number is called an “employer identification number,” or EIN, and comes in the format 12-345678X. The Executor can apply online for this number. The ITS calls it the Employer Identification Number (EIN) even though there is no employer.

EIN

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a federal tax identification number.  It is also used by the IRS for estates and trusts. The EIN number is needed by the bank to open an Estate Account.

         The Executor should have the death Certificate and surrogate papers in front of them when contacting the IRS.

The Executor can apply for an EIN on-line, over the telephone, via fax or through the mail. See the instructionsfor Form SS-4 , Application for Employer I.D. Number, for further details. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iss4.pdf

•   To apply on-line, use the on-line EIN applicationavailable at http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online

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•   To get an EIN over the IRS's toll-free telephone number, call (800) 829-4933.   See EIN Toll-Free Telephone Servicefor more information.

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•   To request an EIN via fax, 24 hours a day / 7 days a week, Taxpayers can fax the completed Form SS-4(PDF) http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf

Then fax to Fax Attn: EIN Operation Cincinnati, OH 45999 

Fax-TIN: 859-669-5760 

To receive an EIN through the mail, complete Form SS-4. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdfThe instructionsfor the form provide the correct address.

Online

Go to

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identification-Number-(EIN)-Online

then check off Estate

An estate is a legal entity created as a result of a person's death.

Please tell us about the deceased person.

*Required fields 

Must match IRS records or this application cannot be processed.

The only punctuation and special characters allowed are hyphen (-) and ampersand (&).

First name*

Middle name/initial

Last name*

Suffix (Jr, Sr, etc.)

Select One

DDS

MD

PHD

JR

SR

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

SSN/ITIN*

- -

Then follow the prompts