10 Digit EIN#

[BeanCounterBlues]

I've applied for several EIN's for client plans that don't have one, in anticipation of it being required on a future year's 5500.

In all cases, except for one, the standard nine digit number has been issued by the IRS.

I have one plan, that received a letter from the IRS stating that an EIN was already issued. The letter reiterates the number, and it happens to be the number of the plan sponsor, w/ a "P" on the end.

Has anyone seen this?

I've been told:

1) The IRS won't accept the employer's ID# in the plan EIN# spec on the Form 5500

2) The software vendor I use has told me that they won't accept 10 digit ID#'s

What would you do? Write back to the IRS and ask them for a nine digit number? That seems like a rabbit hole.

If anyone has experienced this same thing I would be interested in hearing your concerns and / or what you did about it. Am I worrying over nothing?

I'm trying to be proactive and not find myself next year without the necessary information to file the 5500.

Thanks for any help.

[BG5150]

I would call the IRS and ask why the 'P' is there.

[Bird]

Prior discussion.

I'd definitely get a new number.

If you are applying online, try changing the name slightly by abbreviating, or not, so the computer can't match the names perfectly. Worst case you might have to call and talk to a human, ugh, and explain that software, probably including theirs, won't take that number.

[Doghouse]

The attached publication indicates that the "P" does in fact indicate employee plan. I have gotten these in the past, and just used the number without the P, and it works fine.

p1635.pdf

[Mike Preston]

Precisely 0.000% of my plans have separately applied for EIN's. Plan Sponsors have EIN's. Trusts have EIN's. But none of the plans themselves have EIN's. Is the OP referring to "plans" when he intends "trusts" or is there a soon to be required "Plan EIN"?

[BeanCounterBlues]

Yes trust, sorry for the nomenclature issue. I used the term "client plans" loosely in my OP.

[Doghouse]

For those who have ever been on the phone with the IRS regarding this issue, you'll know that they are a bit sloppy with the distinction between the plan and the trust. I think the source of this is the way the instructions have you complete line 10 for a pension plan trust.

[Mike Preston]

I would hope that industry groups like ASPPA will ensure that the governmental forms which request the identification of the Trust's EIN will do so only when it makes sense to do so. In the case where all tax reporting is through a third party, rendering it unneeded for a separate Trust EIN, I would hope leaving that information blank or filling it in with N/A would be allowed.