Updated November 18, 2020

How to Fill out SS4 Form for LLC

You’ll need to know how to fill out SS4 form for your LLC. This form is required in order to receive your Employer Identification Number (EIN). The IRS does not charge a fee to file. The EIN identifies the LLC for tax purposes; an EIN is also required to open a business bank account or credit card. 

Even if you don’t have any employees, you might still need to file Form SS-4 if you form any one of the following business structures: trust, estate, corporation, partnership, real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC), non-profit organization, personal service organization, or a church-controlled organization. Therefore, if you operate an LLC with no employees, be sure to identify whether or not you are required to file Form SS-4 to obtain an EIN.

Filing Form SS4 by Mail or Online

When filling out Form SS-4, you will need to fill out 18 different sections as follows:

• Sections 1-7: Input information regarding your LLC, including your business name, trade name being used (if applicable), mailing address, name of the responsible party, and the social security number of that party. Note that the responsible party can be an individual or a business. If it’s an individual, that person’s SSN will be provided. If it’s a business, the EIN of that business will be provided in this section. You will also need to indicate whether the responsible party is also a member of the LLC, or simply a third party designee acting on behalf of the LLC.

• Section 8: This section asks for the number of members in your LLC and if the form itself is in fact for an LLC.

• Section 9: Asks for the type of entity, as this form can also be used for other business structures, such as corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, trusts, non-profit organizations, and other types of businesses.

• Section 10: This section asks why you are filing the form. There are several boxes, in which most people simply check the first box titled “Started New Business.”

• Section 11. Asks for the official start date. Keep in mind that if you input November as your starting month, then you will be taxed for November and December of that year, regardless of the fact that there are only two months left in that taxable year.

• Section 12. This section asks for the closing month of the accounting year, which is usually December for most businesses.

• Section 13. Asks for how many employees are going to be hired in the following 12 months.

• Section 14. This box should be checked if you believe that your tax liability will be $1,000 or less and you want to file Form 944 (annually) rather than Form 941 (quarterly). This means that you will not be required to pay quarterly taxes. Since you meet the threshold requirements, you can pay this tax annually.

• Section 15. This is the first date that you paid wages or annuities to employees (if applicable).

• Section 16. You will check the box specifying the principal activity of your business, i.e. construction, real estate, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, etc. If none of the boxes applies to your LLC, then you will click “Other” and specify the type of activities you will be conducting through your LLC.

• Section 17. Indicate the type of products being sold or services being rendered.

• Section 18. You will identify whether or not you’ve applied for an EIN before.

If you have a third party who is receiving your EIN and acting as the contact person for correspondence, you’ll enter that person’s name, address, and contact information in the ‘Third Party Designee’ boxes.

Once you have filled out all above-mentioned sections, you will submit it to the IRS. Be sure to keep a copy for your own records. If you choose to submit it online, you will immediately receive an EIN number once you submit the form.

If you need help filing the SS4 Form for your LLC, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel’s marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law, and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with, or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.