EIN for Estate

[Pacun]

I am trying to get an EIN for a estate but it doesn't seem the online assistant is not available.  

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

Do you happen to have another link? 

 

 

[Max W]

Did you try during 7 AM and 10 PM EST?

[Randall]

Just did one yesterday about 11am (eastern).

 

[Pacun]

5 hours ago, Max W said:

Did you try during 7 AM and 10 PM EST?

I was trying after hours. Person died at 10:01PM.... just kidding.

[Max W]

I don't know why it is not 24/7, but apparently someone has to intervene, or maybe they just shut the computer off to save electricity.  

[Catherine]

Try during working hours.

If that still doesn't work, the problem may be a "common name."  I had one of these and finally got through to someone at the IRS about the issue.  When the name is "too common"  (John Smith, Robert Jones, Mary Brown) the computers won't issue an EIN online.  They recommended we mail in the SS-4 and wait months for the EIN.  So I tried a different dodge (with the executor's permission - they really needed that EIN to get a bank account going, as there were bills needing payment asap).  I mis-spelled the name.  Instead of "John Smith Estate" I applied for an EIN for "John Smirth Estate" and it sailed right through.  Easy typo to explain, too.  

Weird times can make for weird solutions.

[Pacun]

I was able to get the EIN by trying during "business hours".  It is interesting that they have a schedule since it is a computer generated number without any human intervention. 

[Abby Normal]

I had a client who's been trying to get their bookkeeper to get an EIN for the estate for 5 months. I think she was planning on mailing in the form but was too intimidated by the SS4. They called me last night and I told them to call today and we'd have it in 5 minutes.

At first I used Firefox and got an error, so I switched to Internet Explorer and it sailed right through. They were looking forward to telling their 'amazing accountant' got the EIN in 2 minutes.

They're in a remote rural area and they're not impressed by any of the 'professionals' they have to deal with there.

[Max W]

On 3/1/2021 at 12:34 PM, Pacun said:

I was able to get the EIN by trying during "business hours".  It is interesting that they have a schedule since it is a computer generated number without any human intervention. 

They need to save on the light bill to pay for the triilions of $'s in debt being racked up.