Bank Accounts and EIN's 

Opening a business bank account is one of the first major steps in running your company successfully. By establishing a business bank account you can legally separate your personal and company assets and keep track of income and expenses. You will need to obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in order to open a bank account.

How Do I Open a Bank Account? 

It is best to speak with your personal bank to be sure that you meet all of their individual terms and policies, but in general you will need to provide the bank with the company's Certificate of Incorporation or Formation, its EIN, a copy of the by-laws or operating agreement, and copies of any necessary business licenses.

What is an EIN?

An EIN represents an entity's registration with the IRS. Although you are not required to obtain an EIN for your business, you will need one if you want to open a bank account for your company and to file your annual tax return.  Sole proprietors use their Social Security Number for these purposes, but do not posses the same liability protection provided by LLCs and Corporations.  International clients who form US companies but do not have any US income and have no need for a US bank account do not need to obtain an EIN. We highly recommend all other individuals obtain an EIN when they form their business. American Incorporators can help by preparing the EIN application for your company or by obtaining the number from the IRS for you here.

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