LLC Name Change & EIN Certificate

[ActionMan]

Hello All. I'm new to this forum and I'm learning a lot from all of you. I have a question for you experts.

I will be changing the name of my current LLC. I understand that a new EIN is not required following a name change and that I can use the existing EIN for the newly named LLC. However, I frequently provide my EIN certificate (form SS-4) to various business constituents as required. The certificate is a scanned copy of what I received from the IRS. It clearly shows the LLC name and the EIN assigned to it.

After I change my name, is there a way to obtain a similar certificate from the IRS that will list my new name and the corresponding EIN? If so, what is the best way to obtain that and do you know how long it takes for the IRS to send that certificate to me? Is there some online record that maps the name and EIN? If so, I can take a screen shot of that for now. Is it quicker and easier to give up my current EIN and apply for a new one? What are the implications of that at tax time?

Any advice or suggestions will be most appreciated.

[Freelancier]

You really don't need to send that notice over to customers. What you want to do is write up a W-9 and have that to send to people who need your EIN.

[ActionMan]

Thanks Freelancier. That's interesting. On the IRS web site it states the following ...

"Use this form to provide your correct TIN to the person who is required to file an information return with the IRS to report, for example, income paid to you, real estate transactions, mortgage interest you paid, acquisition or abandonment of secured property, cancellation of debt, or contributions you made to an IRA."

What if I'm not interested in the receiving party to file an "information return" for me? I merely want to provide some evidence that I have a legally registered business entity with an associated EIN. That's all.

[Freelancier]

What if I'm not interested in the receiving party to file an "information return" for me? I merely want to provide some evidence that I have a legally registered business entity with an associated EIN.Now I'm curious: who wants to know unless they're expecting to pay you more than $600 in revenue or they are reporting information about you to a federal agency? Exactly why else would they need your EIN?

[ActionMan]

For instance, when you register for a trade show, some trade show companies are quite strict in their qualification processes and want you to upload all kinds of documents. Some even want to see a picture of your storefront if you have a B&M store and will ask you to bring 3 or 4 recent invoices for goods you've purchased. Some wholesalers will ask you to email them a copy of your business certificate and EIN SS-4 with your application to open a wholesale account. Whether or not you end up purchasing from them is a different matter. There are other cases too but none spring to mind readily at the moment.

Also, I admit that I probably suffer from OCD or some obscure variant of it. :) I like to replace old documentation with new ones with updated information. So, for my sanity, if not for any of the above mentioned reasons, if possible, I would like an SS-4 that has my new LLC name and the associated EIN for the same.

[Freelancier]

Ok... what I'd recommend then is to call the IRS and ask them. I screwed up the EIN for one of my companies and the person who I talked to after minimal hold time was really helpful and got me a new EIN pretty quickly. I'm sure they will be able to get you a new SS-4 faxed over.

[ActionMan]

Thanks Freelancier!