EIN question
Hello my son is starting an online resale company and we have decided to make an LLC where I’d be president and he’d be ceo . He is underage being 17 so my question is when applying for the EIN number do I put just my information or would his have to be put in as well and it come out to be a partnership?
Answer:
Daniel, good question. To answer your question, I will make two comments.
First, because your son is underage, you should put just your information as the responsible party on the Form SS-4 (Application for Employer Identification Number) or its online equivalent on the IRS’ website.
Second, I think your question reveals some confusion. On the Form SS-4 (or its online equivalent on the IRS’ website), you should indicate that there will be two LLC members (you and your son). After filing the Form SS-4, if you take no further action to elect to treat the LLC differently for federal income tax purposes, then the LLC will be treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes (because you told the IRS on the Form SS-4 or its equivalent that there will be 2 LLC members). If you want to treat the LLC as something other than a partnership (such as a C corporation or an S corporation), you cannot accomplish that goal just by filing the Form SS-4 or its equivalent. That would take a second step with a different form.
I hope that helps. Feel free to contact me if you wish to engage me to help. Even though I practice as a CPA in Texas, I have clients in other states.
Adam Dickreiter
