Customer does not know if they have an EIN

[equinecpa]

I'm doing a partnership return for a partnership formed last year. The client can't recall if she applied for an EIN # or not. In any case she doesn't know it. Is it possible to find out this information from the IRS? And how would one get a power of attorney on file without an EIN #?

Thanks

Carolyn

[Jiggers]

Ein?+-

I'm doing a partnership return for a partnership formed last year. The client can't recall if she applied for an EIN # or not. In any case she doesn't know it. Is it possible to find out this information from the IRS? And how would one get a power of attorney on file without an EIN #?

Thanks

Carolyn

Did the partnership open a bank account? If so, an EIN was required.

Did an attorney draw up the partnership agreement? Maybe he applied for the number.

Did they have payroll last year? Needed a number for the payroll reports.

Did they register with their state? Needed a number for that probably.

Otherwise, have the General Partner call the IRS and ask. Or write a letter to the IRS to be signed by the General Partner.

[ChEAr$]

Or

Did the partnership get a mailing of form 1065 from IRS? (grin

(I know; I know; that used to be evidence of having a number.)

But a quicker solution would be with general/managing partner across the desk,
to call practioners' hotline.

[fliszt]

Couple of years ago

I ran across this problem and called the state business office who would not give it to me.
Then I called the IRS hot line and gave them the state # and they gave me the EIN. Don't know if they are allowed to or not, but they did.
Larry

[Lion]

Ss-4

Years ago an estate came to me, sure they did not have an EIN. I filled out the SS-4 with her and called or faxed it in. IRS told me the estate already had an EIN, applied for by the lawyer (who had given my client a blank SS-4 and told her to apply with the IRS!), and gave me the EIN over the telephone. Don't know if you use the on line SS-4 if it would let you know if one already exists. I'd telephone the SS-4 line.

[Burke]

Years ago, I had a client that did not think she had one either. Applied for one and got it. Then discovered she did have one previously, now had two for the same business. Took a while to get it straightened out. Had to notify IRS to cancel first one since we had used the second one already.