How to Get Rid of an EIN Number
The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal number for businesses. It is a requirement for most types of businesses, including corporations or partnerships, companies with employees and those that withhold taxes on income. A taxpayer may wish to get rid of his current EIN. This could be due to a decision to close the business or a need to obtain a new number that reflects the current makeup of the business. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it is not possible to cancel an EIN, but there are steps that the taxpayers can take to put their current EIN aside.
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Instructions
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Compare the current status of your business to what it was when you applied for the current EIN. According to the IRS, a business must apply for a new EIN if the its status has changed. The type of changes that cause a business to require a new EIN will depend on the structure of the business. Sole proprietors, for instance, must apply for a new EIN if they have filed for bankruptcy, taken partners or incorporated.
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Apply for a new EIN. You may apply for this number online, by telephone, via fax or by mail (see Resources). You will receive your new number immediately if you apply online or by telephone. It will take four days to receive the number if you apply by fax and up to four weeks if you apply via mail.
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Contact the IRS to close your business account if you have determined that you do not need your EIN. According to the IRS, an EIN is a permanent number that cannot be canceled or reassigned. However, the IRS can close the associated account until the business owner decides to use the number again. You must satisfy any pending tax issues before the IRS will close the account.
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