Can an individual

[Edsel]

Can an individual file a W-2 and a W-3 for an employee with simply a SS# instead of a Federal ID#??

[Catherine]

I believe you need an EIN.  How on earth did the employer make the payroll tax payments?

[Edsel]

Good question Catherine.  The answer is she hasn't started payroll yet.

And why my obvious crazy question?

SS-4 application is not working.  There is "instant" grant of a number supposedly, but this is only with the commercial pirates who want to charge a fee.  Not even going to try to call IRS as long as this COVID gives them reason to stay home and still be paid.

I may be hard-headed but when I do something online, the "pay-for-play" robbers are listed first for something that should be free and I will go to great lengths to avoid them.

[Lion EA]

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online

[Gail in Virginia]

Even household employers are now required to obtain an EIN for reporting employee wages.

[Catherine]

22 hours ago, Edsel said:

There is "instant" grant of a number supposedly, but this is only with the commercial pirates who want to charge a fee.

Nope;  you can do it for them online.  It takes longer to FIND the *&^% fill-in form on the IRS web site than it takes actually to fill it out, but Lion provided the link to get started.

The one trick is that you MUST print the page with the EIN before you close it out - once you leave that page you CANNOT get back to it, and then have to wait several weeks for the confirmation letter to arrive.

[Edsel]

Thanks to Lion and Catherine - the link worked like a charm.

I get so sick of Google trying to sell you products and misguiding your searches.  I wonder if there is another reliable search engine.

[Sara EA]

For anything relating to federal tax, go directly to IRS.gov and use their search box.  The website is a bit clunky, but you won't get paid ads for the same free services.  The exception is legal resources, which are impossible to find on irs.gov.

[Abby Normal]

10 hours ago, Catherine said:

The one trick

The other trick is to lie and say that you are not a 3rd party filling out the form. The only way you get the letter instantly is to be the person applying. They will give you the number instantly but the letter will have to be mailed, and I much prefer the letter.

[Lion EA]

When I search via Chrome, which I guess must be a Google search, the paid links show up at the top and the informational afterwards, very clearly divided. I can then start with the nonpaid results. Also, look at the actual link; does it include IRS.gov or whatever agency you expect?

I have CCH's AnswerConnect set to deliver results when I Google or IE search or.... Then I get a big blue rectangle with the green logo and "Display CCH Search Results" separating the ads above from the informational links below. If I'm searching for something taxy, maybe Bonus Depreciation, I can open AnswerConnect right there and check out the CCH results from Master Tax Guide or Explanations or Laws or Regulations or Proposed Regulations or Treasury Decision or Form or Instructions or Election or Client Letter or....