Frequently Asked Questions

Also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Federal Tax ID is like a Social Security Number for your business. It is a unique 9 digit number (ex. 12-3456789) that the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies use to identify your business for tax filing and other purposes.

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number, which is another name for a Federal Tax ID.

Federal Tax IDs apply to many different groups, including:
• Individuals/Sole Proprietors
• Limited Liability Companies (LLC)
• Corporations
• S-Corporations
• Partnerships
• Trusts
• Estates
• Non-Profits
• Other employers and business entity types

Generally, if any of the following are true you still need to acquire a Federal Tax ID:
• You need to pay business taxes.
• You have one or more employees.
• You want to open a business bank account.
• You want to start a line of business credit.
• You form an LLC, Corporation, or Partnership.
• You change from one business entity type to another such as from an Individual/Sole Proprietor to an LLC.
• You are starting a Keogh Plan, also known as a Self-Employed Pension.
• You want to bid for a federal government contract.

We realize you don't have the time to wait on the phone or in long lines, or to wade through lengthy multi-page forms. So all you need to do is submit our convenient one-page online form. Typical completion time is no longer than 5 minutes, and the form is secured for your privacy. Then we prepare government form SS-4 and obtain your signature on it, authorizing us to work with the Internal Revenue Service on your behalf to acquire and deliver your Federal Tax ID. Our service fee for basic document preparation and filing ranges from $108 to $128, depending upon your business entity type. Optional upgrades include delivery within 24 hours and delivery within 60 minutes. Sometimes as a result of the filing process we find out that clarification and/or more information is required from you, and if that is the case we will contact you by e-mail from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com.

The online form is available for all business entity types including:
• Individuals/Sole Proprietors
• Limited Liability Companies (LLC)
• Corporations
• S-Corporations
• Partnerships
• Trusts
• Estates
• Non-Profits
• Other employers and business entity types

The only restrictions are:
• The primary address must be in the United States, and
• The owner, principal officer, trustor, grantor, etc. must have a valid Taxpayer ID Number (Social Security Number, Individual Taxpayer ID Number, or Federal Tax ID) to enter on the form.

We have two options for you to provide us with your required signature. The preferred method for fastest processing is a secure electronic signature right on our website. Or if you prefer, we also make the prepared form available for you to print, sign by hand, and then fax or mail back to us. Simple instructions are provided on the site immediately after you submit payment. Or you can sign later by going to the Existing Customers page, or by clicking the links in one of the signature reminder e-mails we will send you.

Your Federal Tax ID can be delivered by e-mail and fax within 60 minutes of providing your signature during business hours. Other delivery options are also available such as 1 business day service and 3 business day service.

The ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs including opening a bank account, applying for local business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail.

However it can take up to 15 days after receiving your ID to receive official documents in the mail which indicate that your ID has become part of the Internal Revenue Service’s permanent records. And you must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

Yes. The ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs including opening a bank account, applying for local business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail.

However it can take up to 15 days after receiving your ID to receive official documents in the mail which indicate that your ID has become part of the Internal Revenue Service's permanent records. And you must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass an Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

You can stay updated on the status of your order 24 hours a day. Simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page or contact us.

Below are some common issues that can delay the delivery of a Federal Tax ID, along with solutions to them. Please check to see if one of them applies to you and if not, please contact us:
• Have you provided your signature to us on the form SS-4 that we prepared after you submitted payment? This signature is necessary to comply with IRS regulations, and you can provide it in two ways. The recommended method is a fast and secure electronic signature that you can provide right on our site. Or you can also print the form to sign by hand and then fax or mail back to us. To access both options, go to the Existing Customers page.

• Have you been watching the inbox of the e-mail address you provided with your order? Sometimes clarification and/or additional information are required from you and if that is the case, we will attempt to contact you by e-mail from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com. One thing that might cause this is a name and social security number not matching due to marital name changes that was never properly filed with the Social Security Administration. Another is the use of LLC or Inc. in the business name without having properly filed the creation of that LLC or Corporation with the state first.

• Have you checked the Spam/Bulk/Blocked folder of your e-mail? Sometimes (especially with @excite.com e-mail addresses), our e-mails to you from TaxID@SimpleFilings.com are automatically routed to there by accident. Remember, we send all correspondence by e-mail, including the delivery of your Federal Tax ID.

LLCs are a relatively new type of business entity created by state law instead of federal law. So the Internal Revenue Service has not created a new tax classification for LLCs. Instead, other existing federal tax classifications are applied: Corporation, Partnership, or Sole Proprietor. An LLC is always classified by the as one of these types of entities for federal tax purposes.

Simply contact us. If your Federal Tax ID has not yet been assigned we will be happy to cancel your order and issue you a refund per the Limited Money Back Guarantee in the Terms of Service you agreed to when placing your order.

Once a Federal Tax ID has been assigned, it cannot be cancelled. However, you can request that the Internal Revenue Service close your business account if your new business never started for example. To do this, mail a written request to Internal Revenue Service, Cincinnati, Ohio 45999. Include the complete legal name of the business entity, the business address, Federal Tax ID, and reason you wish to close the account.

We're sorry that you are experiencing this issue.
• First, check for typos. It's a long number (9 digits, such as 12-3456789) and accidental typos when transcribing it are not uncommon.

• Second, remember that your ID can be used immediately for most of your business needs. However it can take up to 15 days before your ID becomes part of the Internal Revenue Service's permanent records. And you must wait until that occurs before you can file an electronic tax return, make an electronic tax payment, or pass a Taxpayer Identification Number matching program such as some banks and credit/loan offices use.

• Third, we have seen an issue before where some banks (especially smaller ones), are using antiquated software which gets Federal Tax IDs mixed up with Social Security Numbers. If you have waited past the 15 days from receiving the ID and seem to be having this issue, please contact us.

If you haven't provided your signature yet, simply contact us to update your application information. We will prepare another form and provide it to you for your review and signature.

If you have provided your signature, your Federal Tax ID is already on the way if you haven't received it already. Options for updating information now are:

• When you receive your official documents in the mail within 15 days of signing, you can hand write corrections and mail them back to the address provided.

• If you have had your ID for a while and wish to change your address, you must file form 8822, Change of Address, with the Internal Revenue Service.

• If you have had your ID for a while and wish to change your business name, you must mail a request to the Internal Revenue Service at the address where you file your tax return. The request must be signed by an authorized individual in the business and additionally, businesses that had to file their creation with a state like LLCs and Corporations must include a copy of the Articles of Amendment or equivalent which was filed with the state that authorized the name change.

SimpleFilings customers need only to visit the Existing Customers page of this site. You will need your transaction ID to retrieve it. If you have misplaced your transaction ID, please contact us.

Yes. The information you submit is secured using state-of-the-art SSL encryption technology. The "s" in the "https://" at that start of the application page address is what identifies this security.

To keep you from having to re-enter your information if you decide to come back to finish placing your order later, your information is saved for a period of 48 hours. To clear this information sooner, simply delete your cookies. Cookies are small temporary files stored on your computer, and deleting them can usually be done through the Tools or Options menu of your Internet browser.

A Sole Proprietor can have as many different businesses as they want for as long or as short as they want, but the Internal Revenue Service will only issue one Federal Tax ID for all of them. For example, if a Sole Proprietor started business A in 1980 and got a Federal Tax ID for it but never used it, and then started the completely unrelated business B today... business B will use the same Federal Tax ID as was issued for business A in 1980, since both businesses are Sole Proprietorships under the same Sole Proprietor.

You can e-mail us at TaxID@SimpleFilings.com or by using the Contact Us page of this site. Our fax number is 866-687-7779, and our phone number is 866-659-5246. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Central. Our specialists look forward to assisting you.

SimpleFilings is a fast and secure solution for several of the most common new business filings, like LLC Formation or Incorporation, DBA Registration, and obtaining your Federal Tax ID. But there can be numerous other filings for you to perform both before and after starting business. As a courtesy, we've listed some below:

• Internal administration - LLCs require fewer administrative formalities than Corporations, but both require some. For example, LLCs must write and keep a document called an Operating Agreement which outlines basic ownership and management information. Many books have been written on the subject of LLC and Corporation administration, and they often include useful document templates. Find them at your library or bookstore.
• Federal government filings - The IRS needs to know how to tax your new business. Filing forms such as IRS 8832, IRS 2553, and IRS 1023 can accomplish this. Other IRS filings, and filings with other Federal government agencies may be required as well. Local tax professionals can be good sources of information on this.
• State government filings - Each state you do business in will have filing requirements such as state tax ID numbers, state tax returns, foreign business entity registration (if it is not the state you formed your LLC or Incorporated in), and annual business entity reports. Offices in each state such as the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• Local government filings - Each local jurisdiction you do business in may have filing requirements such as licenses, permits, etc. Offices in each jurisdiction such as the County Courthouse and City Hall can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• Insurance and trade requirements - Depending on the nature of your business, other non-government filings such as obtaining insurance may be necessary to comply with all applicable laws. Consult your insurance agent and applicable trade association.

Starting and running a business is a richly rewarding but never-ending process, and the responsibility for research and compliance is solely yours. But remember that the profits are solely yours as well.

DBA stands for "Doing Business As" and is an official, public registration of a business name with either the state or local jurisdiction. DBAs are sometimes called "Fictitious Names", "Assumed Names", or "Trade Names". Basically, a DBA is an operating name of a business that is different from its official legal name.

A business has only one official "legal name", which is determined by its type of organization. For organizations like Limited Partnerships, LLCs, and Corporations which file with their Secretary of State upon creation, the legal name is the exact business name used in that filing. For Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships, the legal name is the personal name(s) of the owner(s). For example, John Doe.

Without a registered DBA , your business has to operate only under its one official legal name, which if you are a Sole Proprietor, is your personal name! State law requires that you file the proper paperwork to operate even under a variation of your legal business name, and even for a short amount of time. Two examples are below:

• • Example #1: Jane Doe begins doing independent consulting work, marketing herself as Can-Doe Consulting. Since Jane hasn't filed the paperwork to create an LLC, Corporation, etc., that makes her a Sole Proprietorship by default. So she must register Can-Doe Consulting as a DBA, since her legal business name as a Sole Proprietorship would be Jane Doe.
• • Example #2: The official legal name of an entrepreneur's Limited Liability Company is "John Doe Enterprises, LLC". He markets a home building business in the summer as "JD Homes", and a snow-plowing business in the winter as "JD Enterprises". Those are both DBAs that would need to be registered, because neither matches exactly with his official legal business name.

Yes, DBAs can and should be filed for all business types - they are not just for Sole Proprietors. General Partnerships, Limited Partnerships, Corporations, LLCs, and Non-Profits that wish to operate under a name different from their one official legal name are required to register a DBA.

Yes, the laws requiring DBA registration extend to LLCs and Corporations. If the company conducts business under any name other than the exact legal name that appears on the LLC's or Corporation's formation documents, they are required to register it as a DBA. "Conducting business" can include marketing materials, letterhead, business cards, etc. in addition to actual business transactions. Also, banks generally require a DBA registration prior to opening a business bank account or establishing a line of credit.

DBAs are generally filed with the state and/or county and/or city where you are going to conduct business under the DBA name. Some jurisdictions also require publication of an announcement of the DBA filing in specific publications. SimpleFilings has experience with DBA filings in nearly every jurisdiction in the United States, and we are proud to put this experience to work for you.

There are restrictions on the words that a DBA can contain. However, most of the restrictions are in place to ensure that your DBA name does not mislead the general public or imply that the business is a different type of entity than it actually is. For example, you cannot make your DBA name "Acme Incorporated" if you have not filed the necessary documents with your Secretary of State to legally form a Corporation. Likewise, you cannot include "LLC" in your DBA name if you haven't yet filed the documents to legally form an LLC.

Currently, there are no state, county, or municipal restrictions on how many DBA names a business may register.

When a DBA name is registered it usually does not a reserve the name against future use by another business. The registration of a DBA name is simply for required public notice and financial purposes and does not ensure that the business registering the name has exclusive rights to own it or protected use it. To ensure exclusive rights to the use of a name, trademark registration is required.

Aside from the importance of legal compliance, another important reason to register a DBA is financial purposes. Banks will generally only allow you to open an account under your one official legal name or a properly registered DBA. And in fact, in many states banks require a certified copy of the DBA.

Also, since DBA registration includes a public filing of records, other businesses then have official notice that your name is in use, which helps to protect your brand.

The state, county, and/or municipality where the DBA is filed determines the expiration date. Some are valid for several years, and some never expire. The appropriate agency will notify you at the address of record that you provide if it becomes necessary to refile before an expiration date. Additionally, we will provide with your final documentation the list of agencies that your registration was completed with, so that you can maintain a current address of record with them. This will ensure that any correspondence or notifications from them get to you.

In most cases, state and local jurisdictions require a DBA to be filed prior to transacting business with it. But in some jurisdictions, a DBA filing is required within a specific period of time of the initial date of use (often within 30 - 60 days).

Another consideration is that without a registered DBA, a business can usually not open a bank account in that name.

While the steps involved in registering a DBA vary for each individual filing, the main steps are usually as follows:

• • Complete and submit the DBA Registration Application on this site.
• • We review the provided information, research existing name usage where applicable, and prepare the required government paperwork. We send the prepared paperwork to you via fax, e-mail, or mail for your review and signature(s).
• • Sign and return the documents to us for filing.
• • We file all the necessary papers with all applicable agencies and submit payment for fees to them on your behalf.
• • We monitor the status of the filing and once complete, we coordinate any required publishing and submit payment to the publications on your behalf.
• • We send you a record of the successful registration and any publication documents for your records.

Like all filing requirements, publication requirements vary by the jurisdiction in which the DBA registration is filed. Some jurisdictions require that the DBA filing is announced in specific newspapers for a specific timeframe. In some cases agencies even require proof of that publication. SimpleFilings' service includes the completion of legal publication requirements as part of your DBA registration.

By law, your business must be identified using either your Social Security Number or a Federal Tax ID (also known as an Employer Identification Number). Sole Proprietors can use their Social Security Numbers on all government forms and other official documents. However, to open business bank accounts, banks usually require them to obtain Federal Tax IDs. All other business organizations such as LLCs, Corporations, and Limited Partnerships generally must obtain a Federal Tax ID because the business is an entity separate from the owners. For more information on Federal Tax IDs, please click here.

A business generally needs to obtain a Federal Tax ID if any of the following are true: the business is operating as something other than a Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership; there are one or more employees; a business bank account is needed; or corporate credit is needed. For more information on obtaining a Federal Tax ID, click here.

This varies for each jurisdiction. In some, we can have it completed for you in as little as one week, in others it can take up to 8 weeks. The average filing time is 2–4 weeks.

We do offer Expedited and Rush priority services if you'd like to obtain your prepared DBA filing documents quicker (within 2 business days or 1 business day, respectively). Our Rush priority service includes rush filing of your signed documents as well, and we cover additional rush costs imposed by the state, county, or municipality.

The fee for our document preparation and filing service varies from state to state because of differing filing requirements and fees that we pay on your behalf. To find out the fee for your state/county, please see our Fee Calculator.

SimpleFilings makes it easy to register your DBA. We handle all of the state, county, and in some cases, city requirements where your business is planning to use the name, in addition to ensuring that any publication requirements are met. Simply submit the DBA Registration Application on this site to get started.

Your Contact Address is where we should mail documents to you for the purposes of completing your DBA registration order. It could be a home address, for example, or wherever is most convenient.

Your DBA Address is a physical address of your business in the state in which you want the DBA registered. Most states and local jurisdictions require that you have this physical address in order to register a DBA there.

Your Legal Business Address is the physical address of the primary office of your business. For example, if your business is an LLC, this is the primary business address you indicated on your LLC formation filing. This could be the same as your DBA Address or different.

To check the status of your order 24 hours a day, simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page of this site. Your transaction ID can be found on your receipt e-mail. If you cannot locate your receipt e-mail or transaction ID, please contact us.

You can e-mail us at DBA@SimpleFilings.com or by using the Contact Us page of this site. Our fax number is 866-687-7779, and our phone number is 866-659-5241. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Central. Our specialists look forward to assisting you.

SimpleFilings is a fast and secure solution for several of the most common new business filings, like LLC Formation or Incorporation, DBA Registration, and obtaining your Federal Tax ID. But there can be numerous other filings for you to perform both before and after starting business. As a courtesy, we've listed some below:

• • Internal administration - LLCs require fewer administrative formalities than Corporations, but both require some. For example, LLCs must write and keep a document called an Operating Agreement which outlines basic ownership and management information. Many books have been written on the subject of LLC and Corporation administration, and they often include useful document templates. Find them at your library or bookstore.
• • Federal government filings - The IRS needs to know how to tax your new business. Filing forms such as IRS 8832, IRS 2553, and IRS 1023 can accomplish this. Other IRS filings, and filings with other Federal government agencies may be required as well. Local tax professionals can be good sources of information on this.
• • State government filings - Each state you do business in will have filing requirements such as state tax ID numbers, state tax returns, foreign business entity registration (if it is not the state you formed your LLC or Incorporated in), and annual business entity reports. Offices in each state such as the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• • Local government filings - Each local jurisdiction you do business in may have filing requirements such as licenses, permits, etc. Offices in each jurisdiction such as the County Courthouse and City Hall can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• • Insurance and trade requirements - Depending on the nature of your business, other non-government filings such as obtaining insurance may be necessary to comply with all applicable laws. Consult your insurance agent and applicable trade association.

Starting and running a business is a richly rewarding but never-ending process, and the responsibility for research and compliance is solely yours. But remember that the profits are solely yours as well.

Generally, if you do not file to form your business as a specific entity type, one is assigned to it by default. If there is only one owner, it is a Sole Proprietorship and if there are multiple owners, it is a General Partnership. Minimal paperwork can be an advantage with these entity types, but they also leave your personal assets at risk.

Filing to form an LLC or Corporation separates your personal assets from your business. So if your business is ever sued by a creditor or unhappy customer, you're at less risk of losing your home or other personal assets because of it. That's one less thing for you to worry about.

Plus, with an "LLC" or "Inc." after it, your business instantly looks more professional to customers, vendors, and peers.

That's a question that ultimately only you can answer.

Corporations have been around for hundreds of years, so the paperwork to form and maintain them can seem archaic at times. But if you plan to "go public" soon (for example, to make a public offering of your company's shares on the New York Stock Exchange), this is the only business entity type that can do it.

LLC stands for Limited Liability Company. It is a newer business entity type, but it has fast become the preference among many new small business owners. The reason is that LLCs were designed to offer the personal asset protection of Corporations, but with fewer initial and on-going requirements. For example, LLCs generally do not have to keep detailed meeting minutes, or even hold formal meetings at all.

With Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships, there is little legal separation of the owners from the businesses. So the owners are taxed on all money that their businesses make.

Corporations are recognized as entities separate from the owners by default, so the Corporation is taxed on all money that it makes. Then additionally, the owners are taxed on all money that they pay themselves from the Corporation. This is commonly known as "double taxation". Or some states allow you to file to be a special type of Corporation called an S-Corporation, in which taxation is the same as with Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships.

LLCs are the opposite. By default the taxation is the same as for Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships. Or some states allow you to file to have the taxation be the same as the default for Corporations, where the LLC is taxed on money it makes, then additionally its owners are taxed on money that they pay themselves from it.

For more details, consult one of the many books written on this subject, or a local tax professional.

An S-Corporation is a special type of Corporation available in some states. They are different from traditional Corporations in that they avoid the issue of "double taxation". Specifically, the business does not pay tax on its revenues. Instead, the owners pay taxes on all business revenues. For more details, consult one of the many books written on this subject, or a local tax professional.

These filings are at the state level, typically with the Secretary of State's office. Some states also require publication of an announcement of the LLC Formation or Incorporation in specific publications. SimpleFilings has experience with these filings in nearly every jurisdiction in the United States, and we are proud to put this experience to work for you.

There are restrictions on the words that your business name can contain. However, most of the restrictions are in place to ensure that your name does not mislead the general public or imply that the business is a different type of entity than it actually is. For example, you cannot make your LLC name "Acme Incorporated" because that implies that you are a Corporation. Likewise, your name cannot include "LLC" if you are a Corporation.

A Registered Agent is also known as a Resident Agent. Their job is to receive any legal correspondence sent to an LLC or Corporation after it is formed. Some small business owners serve as their own Registered Agents. But since a business's Registered Agent name and contact information is publicly listed, many prefer the privacy of using a third party company as their Registered Agent. Third party Registered Agents typically charge an annual fee, and they simply forward any legal correspondence received on behalf of their clients. If you hire a third party Registered Agent but then later choose not to renew, it is important to remember to update your Registered Agent records with the state so that your business never misses any legal correspondence intended for it.

Generally, the state your filing is with will require some type of annual renewal from you for your LLC Formation or Incorporation filing to remain in good standing. This makes it important that if you change addresses, you notify the Secretary of State's office in the state of your filing to ensure that any correspondence or notifications from them get to you.

Yes. If you haven't successfully filed an LLC Formation or Incorporation, your business is not an LLC or Corporation so your business name cannot contain "LLC" or "Inc." Likewise, most banks will not allow you to open an account for a business with "LLC" or "Inc." in the name if you cannot provide documentation of a successful formation filing in that name.

While the steps involved in an LLC Formation or Incorporation filing vary for each state, the main steps are usually:

• • Complete and submit the LLC Formation or Incorporation Application on this site.
• • We review the provided information, research existing name usage where applicable, and prepare the required government paperwork. We send the prepared paperwork to you via fax, e-mail, or mail for your review and signature(s).
• • Sign and return the documents to us for filing.
• • We file all necessary papers with the applicable agency and submit payment for fees to them on your behalf.
• • We monitor the status of the filing and once complete, we coordinate any required publishing and submit payment to the publications on your behalf.
• • We send you a record of the successful filing and any publication documents for your records.

Like all filing requirements, publication requirements vary by state. Some states require that the formation filing is announced in specific newspapers for a specific timeframe. In some cases states even require proof of that publication. SimpleFilings's service includes the completion of any publication requirements as part of your formation filing.

Typically, it is the other way around. You first form your LLC or Incorporate at the state level, then obtain your Federal Tax ID at the federal level, because the federal level sometimes validates your application against the state databases. So for example, if you apply for a Federal Tax ID as "Acme Incorporated" without finishing your Incorporation filing with the state first, your Federal Tax ID application may well get rejected. SimpleFilings offers fast and secure solutions for both filings. For more information on obtaining a Federal Tax ID, please click here.

A business generally needs to obtain a Federal Tax ID if any of the following are true: the business has just formed an LLC or Incorporated; there are one or more employees; a business bank account is needed; or corporate credit is needed. For more information on obtaining a Federal Tax ID, please click here.

This varies for each state. In some, we can have it completed for you in as little as one week, in others it can take up to 8 weeks. You can stay updated on the status of your order 24 hours a day. Simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page or contact us.

We don't currently offer an expedited filing for this service.

We are experienced at the document preparation and filing processes for forming LLCs and incorporating in all 50 states. After receiving your application and any necessary signatures, we handle all communications with the state and contact you only when necessary to expedite your formation filing. During the entire process you can view your order status online or utilize e-mail or phone support to be updated as often as you like for no extra charge. Using this method compared to working with an attorney can save you thousands of dollars and get you back to focusing on your core business quicker.

The fee for our document preparation and filing service varies from state to state because of differing filing requirements and fees that we pay on your behalf. To find out the fee for your state/county, please see our Fee Calculator.

SimpleFilings makes it easy to form your LLC or Incorporate. Simply submit the LLC Formation or Incorporation Application to get started.

To check the status of your order 24 hours a day, simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page of this site. Your transaction ID can be found on your receipt e-mail. If you cannot locate your receipt e-mail or transaction ID, please contact us.

You can e-mail us at LLCInc@SimpleFilings.com or by using the Contact Us page of this site. Our fax number is 866-687-7779, and our phone number is 866-762-1012. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Central. Our specialists look forward to assisting you.

SimpleFilings is a fast and secure solution for several of the most common new business filings, like LLC Formation or Incorporation, DBA Registration, and obtaining your Federal Tax ID. But there can be numerous other filings for you to perform both before and after starting business. As a courtesy, we've listed some below:

• • Internal administration - LLCs require fewer administrative formalities than Corporations, but both require some. For example, LLCs must write and keep a document called an Operating Agreement which outlines basic ownership and management information. Many books have been written on the subject of LLC and Corporation administration, and they often include useful document templates. Find them at your library or bookstore.
• • Federal government filings - The IRS needs to know how to tax your new business. Filing forms such as IRS 8832, IRS 2553, and IRS 1023 can accomplish this. Other IRS filings, and filings with other Federal government agencies may be required as well. Local tax professionals can be good sources of information on this.
• • State government filings - Each state you do business in will have filing requirements such as state tax ID numbers, state tax returns, foreign business entity registration (if it is not the state you formed your LLC or Incorporated in), and annual business entity reports. Offices in each state such as the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• • Local government filings - Each local jurisdiction you do business in may have filing requirements such as licenses, permits, etc. Offices in each jurisdiction such as the County Courthouse and City Hall can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• • Insurance and trade requirements - Depending on the nature of your business, other non-government filings such as obtaining insurance may be necessary to comply with all applicable laws. Consult your insurance agent and applicable trade association.

Starting and running a business is a richly rewarding but never-ending process, and the responsibility for research and compliance is solely yours. But remember that the profits are solely yours as well.

Our service works through toll-free forwarding. This method eliminates the need for you to install a separate phone line and buy expensive equipment. Toll-free forwarding works like any other telephone forwarding service:

• 1. A caller dials your dedicated toll-free phone number.
• 2. The call reaches our switching center where it is instantly forwarded to the destination number you choose - this can be your cell phone, home phone, or the phone at your lakeside cottage.
• 3. The destination phone number rings just as if it was dialed directly, complete with Caller ID and the ability to go to voicemail. The caller never knows they were forwarded.

Yes. We're one of the few toll free forwarding services that provide forwarding to cellular phones.

Yes. Just make the destination number your fax machine number. Faxes to your toll free number will then arrive at your fax machine.

In most cases your number will be set up and working within one business day.

Your toll free number will accept as many calls as your forwarding destination number can accept at one time. If you are forwarding to your cell phone and can receive two calls at once, your toll-free number can receive two calls at once. Additional calls will still be forwarded but would go to your destination number's voicemail, if applicable.

Toll-free numbers can be called from all fifty states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Other countries have their own toll-free number exchanges and they cannot call a toll free number in the United States.

Yes. You can submit a request to change your forwarding destination number 24 hours a day by logging into the Existing Customers page or contact us. The request can be completed within one business day.

The request should be completed in one business day. If it takes any longer than this, please contact us.

No, your-toll free number can only be forwarded to one destination phone number at a time. But if the service at your destination phone number has call forwarding capability, you can forward to another number if desired.

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Also known as an S-Corp, an S-Corporation is a business that has both incorporated and then additionally registered for S-Corporation status.

The typical for-profit Corporation (also known as a C-Corp) pays federal corporate income tax, and then its owners (shareholders) also pay federal income taxes on the income they receive from the Corporation. This is known as double taxation.

But S-Corporations avoid double taxation and instead receive pass-through taxation from the IRS. This means that S-Corporations pay no federal income taxes. Instead, all business income is recognized as the personal income of the owners.

The S in S-Corporation stands for "small business". This comes from the requirement that an S-Corporation have no more than 100 owners.

The typical for-profit Corporation (also known as a C-Corp) pays federal corporate income tax, and then its owners (shareholders) also pay federal income taxes on the income they receive from the Corporation. This is known as double taxation.

S-Corporations enjoy the benefits of Corporations, but with the double taxation. S-Corporations receive pass-through taxation from the IRS, meaning that they pay no federal income taxes. Instead, all business income is recognized as the personal income of the owners.

For comparison, LLCs, General Partnerships, and Sole Proprietorships also receive federal pass-through taxation.

Double taxation refers to the process by which a typical for-profit Corporation pays federal corporate income tax, and then its owners also pay federal income tax on the income they take from the Corporation.

Pass-through taxation refers to the taxation of business entities like S-Corporations, LLCs, General Partnerships, and Sole Proprietorships, whereby the business pays no income tax. Instead all income passes through the business to the owners, and the owners pay taxes on it.

Securing pass-through taxation from the IRS requires only one simple S-Corporation election filing you can conduct right here.

How to get pass-through taxation at the state level depends on the laws of your state. Some states grant your business pass-through taxation if you simply register the federal S-Corporation election. Some states require an additional filing directly with them to classify your business as an S-Corporation. Other states do not recognize S-Corporation status at all. You are responsible for researching and fulfilling your own state's requirements if you desire pass-through taxation at the state level.

Generally, you must have already incorporated and obtained a Federal Tax ID. Both of these filings are also services provided by SimpleFilings if you request them. After that, you are responsible for ensuring that you meet the following S-Corporation requirements before you file for the election:

(From the instructions for IRS Form 2553, Who May Elect section, revised December 2007)

A corporation or other entity eligible to elect to be treated as a corporation may elect to be an S corporation only if it meets all the following tests.

• • It is (a) a domestic corporation, or (b) a domestic entity eligible to elect to be treated as a corporation, that timely files Form 2553 and meets all the other tests listed below. If Form 2553 is not timely filed, see Relief for Late Elections on page 2.

• • It has no more than 100 shareholders. You can treat a husband and wife (and their estates) as one shareholder for this test. You can also treat all members of a family (as defined in section 1361(c)(1)(B)) and their estates as one shareholder for this test. For additional situations in which certain entities will be treated as members of a family, see Notice 2005-91, 2005-51 I.R.B. 1164. All others are treated as separate shareholders. For details, see section 1361(c)(1).

• • Its only shareholders are individuals, estates, exempt organizations described in section 401(a) or 501(c)(3), or certain trusts described in section 1361(c)(2)(A).

  For information about the section 1361(d)(2) election to be a qualified subchapter S trust (QSST), see the instructions for Part III. For information about the section 1361(e)(3) election to be an electing small business trust (ESBT), see Regulations section 1.1361-1(m). For guidance on how to convert a QSST to an ESBT, see Regulations section 1.1361-1(j)(12). If these elections were not timely made, see Rev. Proc. 2003-43, 2003-23 I.R.B. 998.

• • It has no nonresident alien shareholders.

• • It has only one class of stock (disregarding differences in voting rights). Generally, a corporation is treated as having only one class of stock if all outstanding shares of the corporation's stock confer identical rights to distribution and liquidation proceeds. See Regulations section 1.1361-1(l) for details.

• • It is not one of the following ineligible corporations.
  a. A bank or thrift institution that uses the reserve method of accounting for bad debts under section 585.
  b. An insurance company subject to tax under subchapter L of the Code.
  c. A corporation that has elected to be treated as a possessions corporation under section 936.
  d. A domestic international sales corporation (DISC) or former DISC.

• • It has or will adopt or change to one of the following tax years.
  a. A tax year ending December 31.
  b. A natural business year.
  c. An ownership tax year.
  d. A tax year elected under section 444.
  e. A 52-53-week tax year ending with reference to a year listed above.
  f. Any other tax year (including a 52-53-week tax year) for which the corporation establishes a business purpose.

  For details on making a section 444 election or requesting a natural business, ownership, or other business purpose tax year, see the instructions for Part II.

• • Each shareholder consents as explained in the instructions for column K.

See section 1361, 1362, and 1378, and their related regulations for additional information on the above tests.

A parent S corporation can elect to treat an eligible wholly-owned subsidiary as a qualified subchapter S subsidiary. If the election is made, the subsidiary's assets, liabilities, and items of income, deduction, and credit generally are treated as those of the parent. For details, see Form 8869, Qualified Subchapter S Subsidiary Election.

Yes, for taxation reasons too complicated to explain here, an LLC may sometimes decide that it desires to be treated by the IRS as an S-Corporation. To do so, it can simply complete the application here in the same manner as a standard Corporation filing to become an S-Corporation.

The highest-ranking officer of the business and all business owners must sign the application, in effect all unanimously "voting" for it. So they are all "electing" or "choosing" S-Corporation status.

There are no name requirements unique to S-Corporations. Rather, if the entity applying is a Corporation, the standard corporate name requirements apply. For example, it must contain an appropriate corporate indicator such as Inc., Incorporated, Corporation, etc.

For LLCs electing S-Corporation taxation, the standard LLC name requirements apply. For example, it must contain an appropriate LLC indicator such as LLC, Limited, Limited Liability Company, etc.

First, complete our simple one-page online application. Then provide payment for our sservice on the secure checkout page. We immediately prepare your IRS Form 2553 documents and display them on the next page to be signed by your business's highest ranking officers and all its owners. All signatures can be provide online immediately. If all required signators are not present, they can visit our Existing Customers page at any time to provide their signatures. Upon receipt of the final required signature, we fax your signed forms to the IRS, usually within one business day. We then send you an e-mail confirming that we have done so and that concludes our service on the order.

Then within 60 days, the IRS will send you a postal mail informing you of the acceptance or non-acceptance of your election and when it will take effect.

If it has been more than 60 days since your election was submitted and you still have not received an IRS notice of acceptance or non-acceptance, you can follow up with the IRS by calling 800-829-4933.

Also, take care not to file an S-Corporation tax return (IRS Form 1120S) prior to receiving the IRS notice, since it will contain whether it has been accepted or not, and when it will take affect if accepted.

Yes. An Incorporation or LLC Formation must be completed with the state prior to the filing of a S-Corporation election with the IRS. These are all filings that SimpleFilings can provide upon request.

Yes. The federal S-Corporation election application requires a Federal Tax ID, also known as an Employer Identification Number. The Federal Tax ID must be specifically for the Corporation or LLC that is applying for S-Corporation status. If you do not already have Federal Tax ID, SimpleFilings can assist you in filing for one upon request.

After providing all required signatures, which you can do easily online, we will submit your election to the IRS often within one same business day, and send you an e-mail confirming that we have done so. Then within 60 days, the IRS will send you a postal mail informing you of the acceptance or non-acceptance of your election and when it will take effect.

If it has been more than 60 days since your election was submitted and you still have not received an IRS notice of acceptance or non-acceptance, you can follow up with the IRS by calling 800-829-4933.

Also, take care not to file an S-Corporation tax return (IRS Form 1120S) prior to receiving the IRS notice, since it will contain whether it has been accepted or not, and when it will take affect if accepted.

No, it is the same turnaround time for everyone. We are usually able to submit your election to the IRS within one business day of receiving all required signatures, and the IRS should mail you a notice of acceptance or non-acceptance within 60 days of that.

Once an S-Corporation election is accepted by the IRS, it stays in effect until it is terminated or revoked.

We are experienced at the document preparation and filing process for electing federal S-Corporation status. We turn what can be an otherwise complicated and confusing filing into a smooth and simple experience. During the process you can view your order status online or utilize e-mail or phone support to be updated as often as you like for no extra charge. And ultimately, we get you back to focusing on your core business quicker.

Please visit our Fee Calculator to view the flat fee for our document preparation and filing service for the federal S-Corporation election.

SimpleFilings makes it easy to file your federal S-Corporation election. Simply submit the application to get started.

To check the status of your order 24 hours a day, simply enter your transaction ID on the Existing Customers page of this site. Your transaction ID can be found on your receipt e-mail. If you cannot locate your receipt e-mail or transaction ID, please contact us.

You can e-mail us at support@SimpleFilings.com or by using the Contact Us page of this site. Our fax number is 866-687-7779, and our phone number is 866-659-5246. Business hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Central excluding holidays. Our specialists look forward to assisting you.

SimpleFilings is a fast and secure solution for several of the most common new business filings, like LLC Formation or Incorporation, DBA Registration, obtaining your Federal Tax ID, and federal S-Corporation elections. But there may be other filings for you to perform both before and after starting your business. As a courtesy, we've listed some below:

• • Internal administration - LLCs require fewer administrative formalities than Corporations, but both require some. For example, LLCs must write and keep a document called an Operating Agreement which outlines basic ownership and management information. Many books have been written on the subject of LLC and Corporation administration, and they often include useful document templates. Find them at your library or bookstore.
• • Federal government filings - The IRS needs to know how to tax your new business. Filing forms such as IRS 8832, IRS 2553, and IRS 1023 can accomplish this. Other IRS filings, and filings with other Federal government agencies may be required as well. Local tax professionals can be good sources of information on this.
• • State government filings - Each state you do business in will have filing requirements such as state tax ID numbers, state tax returns, foreign business entity registration (if it is not the state you formed your LLC or Incorporated in), and annual business entity reports. Offices in each state such as the Secretary of State and Department of Revenue can help you determine which ones apply to your business. Also, remember that some states that offer S-Corporation taxation require separate S-Corporation election filings at the state level.
• • Local government filings - Each local jurisdiction you do business in may have filing requirements such as licenses, permits, etc. Offices in each jurisdiction such as the County Courthouse and City Hall can help you determine which ones apply to your business.
• • Insurance and trade requirements - Depending on the nature of your business, other non-government filings such as obtaining insurance may be necessary to comply with all applicable laws. Consult your insurance agent and applicable trade association.

Starting and running a business is a richly rewarding but never-ending process, and the responsibility for research and compliance is solely yours. But remember that the profits are solely yours as well.

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