I keep seeing services that charge $99 or more to get an EIN. The IRS site says it's free, but I'm worried I'll mess something up doing it myself. Has anyone actually done it directly through the IRS? Any hidden fees or gotchas?
EIN
Is getting an EIN from the IRS really free?
it's frree. been free forever. those services are just charging you for the 'convenience' of a form you can fill out in 10 minutes.
I used one of those $99 services last year because I was terrified of the form. Total waste. Then I had to call the IRS anyway to fix a typo. Just do it yourself.
There is no fee. The only 'gotcha' is that if you're a non-US resident without an SSN/ITIN, you may have to fax or mail Form SS-4 instead of doing it online. Still free though.
Good to know. I do have an SSN so online should work. Did you guys get yours instantly or did you have to wait?
Online = instant if you're eligible. I got mine in like 15 minutes, PDF straight to my email.
Wait, some of those services chqrge $300+. For what?? A PDF?! I'm in the wrong business.
The only reason to pay is if you're completely hopeless with computers or need someone to hand-hold. Otherwise, IRS direct is the way.
Also careful with third-party 'EIN assistance' sites that look offiical. Some are just lead-gen for upsells like registered agent services. The real IRS page is irs.gov and ends in .gov, obviously.
I paid a service because I wanted a 'professional' to review my business structure. They just typed the same info into the same form. Lesson learned.
Yeah, the 'review' is just a guy named Steve glancing at it for 4 seconds.
Alright, I'm convinced. Doing it myself tonight. Thanks for the reality check, especially the .gov tip.
One more thing: save the PDF they give you. You'll need it for bank accounts and sometimes for state registration. Don't lose it.
And don't lose the confirmation page either. Screenshot everything. IRS letters love to disappear into the void.