Tax ID Number TIN: Definition, How to Get One

Here’s what a tax ID number is and how to apply for one. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. Here is a list of our partners and here’s how we make money.

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You can file Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification retirement savings calculator Number (ITIN), with your federal income tax return. You must also include original documentation or certified copies from the issuing agency to prove identity and foreign status. IRS issues ITINs to help individuals comply with the U.S. tax laws, and to provide a means to efficiently process and account for tax returns and payments for those not eligible for Social Security numbers.

You can use an ITIN to prove you live somewhere or get a driver’s license. But when it comes to loans, it’s not widely accepted in place of an SSN. Only a Social Security Number qualifies you to receive Social Security and other government benefits. For citizens (and some eligible residents or foreign nationals), that number is their Social Security Number — often assigned at birth.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. You don’t need to have your ITIN to submit a tax extension. Simply write “ITIN TO BE REQUESTED” in the tax ID box. If you need more time to file, though, you can always submit a tax extension giving you six additional months to file.

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Bring it to your local IRS office, or use an acceptance agent (colleges, financial institutions, or accounting firms that are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining ITINs). They’ll review the W-7 and documentation before sending it to the IRS. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to individuals who are required for U.S. federal tax purposes to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have and are not eligible to get a Social Security number (SSN). The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice.

How to file your federal tax return using an ITIN

1. The Form 2441 must be attached to Form W-7 along with the U.S. federal tax return.
2. You can mail the W-7 and documentation to the address in the Form W-7 Instructions.
3. An adoption taxpayer identification number, or ATIN, is a temporary, nine-digit tax ID number the IRS gives to people who are in the process of adopting a child.
4. Apply for an ITIN in-person using the services of an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent.

They are shared across multiple governmental departments (including Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The discussion of allowable tax benefits has been expanded. For more information see Allowable Tax Benefits in the Instructions for Form W-7 PDF.

Who doesn’t need an ITIN

If the tax return you attach to Form W-7 is filed after the return’s due date, you may owe interest and/or penalties. Apply for an ITIN in-person using the services of an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent. This will prevent you from having to mail your proof of identity and foreign status documents. An adoption taxpayer identification number, or ATIN, is a temporary, nine-digit tax ID number the IRS gives to people who are in the process of adopting a child. The IRS provides the number if the adopting parents cannot get a Social Security number for the child in time to file their tax return.