Need to file for a tax ID number? The process is simple and only takes a few minutes. Estate planning and probate attorney Sarah Siedentopf walks you through it.

Hi, I’m attorney Sarah Siedentopf. I’m an estate planning and probate attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. How do you file for a tax ID number for either your trust or your LLC?  You set them up and suddenly you realize you need a tax ID number for your LLC or maybe you are the successor trustee after someone has passed away and you need a tax ID number for the trust.

It’s called an employer identification number by the IRS, which is a little bit weird in this situation because obviously the trust is not an employer. But, you can file online directly with the IRS and I’m putting a link in the video so you can see what that looks like. You don’t have to pay a third party to file online for you or anything like that. It’s a few simple questions, you determine: are you an estate, are you a trust, are you an LLC, are you a sole proprietorship? What are you, answer a few questions, and you have your tax ID number.

Now, once it generates that tax ID number you’re going to want to save that page because that is the one thing you have with your tax identification number on it. If you close that tab before saving it, printing it, whatever, you will be very, very sorry as you are calling the IRS and trying to get it figured out. So do save that page. But it’s super easy, you just need to go on the IRS website and it’s not something you need to spend a lot of time worrying about or pay someone else for. So, quick and easy if you need to do it, and again, here’s the link. I’d love to talk to you more if you’ve got questions about LLCs or trusts. Thanks.

If you already have a tax ID number for your trust or LLC, but you aren’t sure where to find that number, please watch our video What is My Tax ID Number?