Massachusetts Tax ID (EIN) Number Application | How to Apply Online

Looking to obtain your Tax ID (EIN) Number in Massachusetts? This short Massachusetts Tax ID Application Guide will walk you through the basic steps you need to follow to apply for your Tax ID (EIN) Number in the state of Massachusetts. Whether you own a Partnership, multi-member LLC, Corporation, Non-Profit, Trust or Estate, this guide will help you learn what you need to know to obtain your official IRS Tax ID Number within minutes.

Steps to Obtain your Tax ID (EIN) Number in Massachusetts:

1. Prepare Required Information
2. Apply for a Massachusetts Tax ID Online
3. Apply for a Massachusetts Tax ID by Phone, Mail or Fax
4. How Do I Get a Massachusetts Tax ID Number??
5. How Do I Get a Resale Tax ID Number?
6. How Do I Get a Massachusetts State Tax ID Number?

1. Prepare Required Information

First, you'll want to gather the information you'll need when filling out your tax ID application. You can try to complete the application without gathering this information in advance, but things will go much more smoothly if you have it in place beforehand:

• Full names and addresses. Gather the full legal names and addresses of all founding members of your business. This includes yourself and all your business partners.
• Social security numbers. You'll also need to gather the social security numbers of all those founding members.
• Business name. Finally, you'll want to decide on the legal name of your business, since applying for a tax ID will register your business with the government.

2. Apply for a Massachusetts Tax ID Online

When you're ready to begin the application process, you'll have several potential avenues and mediums to choose from. However, some of these mediums are strictly better than the others; for example, applying online is universally and inarguably superior to more traditional application methods.

Applying online is more convenient than other application methods, since you can fill out the application anywhere, so long as you have an internet connection. It's also inherently faster; you'll need to answer a handful of questions about you and your business, so most people are able to complete the application in 5 minutes or less. After filling out the application, the best benefit of applying online comes into play; you'll get your tax ID emailed to you in as little as an hour. That means you get your tax ID faster, which means for most entrepreneurs, getting to start your business faster.

3. Apply for a Massachusetts Tax ID by Phone, Mail or Fax

Applying online is strictly better than any other method of application; however, other application methods do exist. For example, you can apply for your tax ID by phone, mail, or fax. If you apply for your tax ID over the phone, you'll answer the same types of questions about your business in an interview-style format. If you apply by mail or fax, you'll need to fill out a paper application, by hand. Both of these methods take more time than applying online. When you're done, you'll need to mail in that physical application, and after that, you'll be stuck waiting 4 to 6 weeks to get your tax ID via mail- compared to the single hour it takes when applying online.

4. How Do I Get a Massachusetts Tax ID Number?

If you're looking to get a tax ID number, you're probably interested in an employer identification number (EIN), also known as a federal tax ID. This ID number registers your business at the federal level, and is important for many functions; you'll need one if you're going to hire employees, if your business involves multiple people (such as if it's a partnership, LLC with multiple members, or corporation), if you're going to apply for a business bank account, or if you're going to apply for a business license or permit.

However, there's another type of tax ID your Massachusetts business might need- a Massachusetts state tax ID. This ID number, like the federal tax ID, is a unique string of digits meant to serve as an ID number for your business. However, the Massachusetts state tax ID registers your business with the state government. You'll need one if you're going to hire employees in the state of Massachusetts, if you're going to register for sales taxes (selling taxable goods and services in the state), or if you'll owe excise taxes (on products like gasoline, alcohol, and tobacco).

5. How Do I Get a Resale Tax ID Number?

You might have heard that you need a resale tax ID number, or a sales tax ID number, in Massachusetts. However, these terms both refer to your Massachusetts state tax ID number. Most businesses in Massachusetts will need both a federal tax ID number and a Massachusetts state tax ID number. You'll need a Massachusetts state tax ID number if you're going to hire employees in the state of Massachusetts, if you're going to owe excise taxes on certain regulated goods and services, or if you're going to sell taxable goods and services in the state of Massachusetts.

You can get a Massachusetts state tax ID number, otherwise known as a resale tax ID number, by applying online, or through one of several traditional methods. However, applying online is universally faster and more convenient. Like with your federal tax ID, the application will ask you several questions about your business. However, even if you apply online, it could take 4 to 6 weeks to get your tax ID, since the processing time for state tax IDs is longer than it is for federal tax IDs.

6. How Do I Get a Massachusetts State Tax ID Number?

You'll need a Massachusetts state tax ID number if you're selling taxable goods and services in Massachusetts, if you're hiring employees in Massachusetts, or if you're going to owe excise taxes on regulated goods like alcohol and tobacco.

To get this number, you'll first need your federal tax ID in place. From there, you can follow a process similar to the one you used to get that federal tax ID- but for your Massachusetts state tax ID instead. It's ideal to apply for your Massachusetts state tax ID online, answering several questions about your business and partners. After completing this application, you'll be able to get your tax ID in 4 to 6 weeks.

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