Go To Great Panes

Publications from the IRS
Now viewable online or through the mail with CDs or DVDs
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=101169,00.html

Online Classroom
I had ordered CD versions of these lessons, and though they are as boring as dust, I learned a lot. Now you can click on the name to watch them on-line, click the “d” to download it to your computer or “t” to read the text transcripts.
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=97726,00.html

Taxpayer Identification Number
also referred to as TIN, EIN, or FTIN*, instead some folks just use their SSN

You may not need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) if you won’t have employees, incorporate or be a partnership–you might be able to just use your Social Security Number (SSN) when paying income tax for your sole proprietorship. Check this page to see if you are required to get one:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=97872,00.html

We got a federal EIN to use during registration for our state sales tax ID. While we didn’t need to get an EIN by the IRS’ standards, we signed up for one with the IRS right away because many wholesale companies won’t let you purchase materials at wholesale without a sales tax ID number. That means you won’t pay sales tax on the supplies you buy and that you’ll have the opportunity to (or requirement of) purchasing supplies in bulk for a discount.

When you get your state sales tax id, often you can give them your SSN as an ID number instead of the EIN, and some states will then use your SSN as your sales tax ID number (some states make you get an EIN before they let you get a state sales tax ID).

I prefer to protect my personal information, so I got the EIN give to the state during registration for our Authority to Collect Sales Tax to be sure my SSN didn’t end up on the license that we must display publicly at craft shows and need to give to wholesalers for a discount/not pay sales tax.

In NY, if you register to collect sales tax your EIN will also be the number for your registration with the state’s sales tax department, giving you the authority to collect sales tax on the state’s behalf. (You must register with the state before you are permitted to collect sales tax even if you already have an EIN.)

Getting an EIN is free, it doesn’t require any special paperwork once you’ve registered, and registering online is easy as pie:

Apply for an Employer Identification Number Online

State Links from the IRS
A collection of links to official US state government web sites with useful information for businesses including information on sales tax laws. Sales tax laws vary from state to state, so it’s important to find your own state’s regulations from official sources.
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99021,00.html