Stage 3
EIN (Employer Identification Number)
Free, direct from the IRS, takes about 10 minutes. Don't let anyone sell this to you.
This is free and always will be. If a formation service tries to upsell you an EIN as a paid add-on, that's the one place to say no — everything else they offer might be worth it, this specific thing never is. We're telling you this so our other recommendations are worth trusting.
What it is
An EIN is like a Social Security number for your business — the IRS uses it to identify your business for tax purposes. You need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file most business tax returns.
How to get it yourself, free
Search "apply for an EIN online" on IRS.gov — the official application is a free online form (Monday-Friday, during IRS business hours) that issues your EIN immediately upon completion if you're a US-based applicant with a valid Social Security Number or ITIN.
You'll need your business's legal name, the entity type you chose in Stage 2, and your own SSN/ITIN as the responsible party.
Only apply through the official IRS.gov site. There are third-party sites that charge a fee to "process" your EIN application — they're not doing anything you can't do yourself for free in the same amount of time.