Good heavens, there seems to be a lot of focus on paying taxes where there are no taxes to be paid.

Sales tax is collected on, and transmitted to the state for, certain qualified sales transactions. Many businesses, including service businesses, have no qualified transactions.

Medicare and social security taxes are paid on the wages of employees.

Neither of those things are required merely by the act of obtaining an EIN, or Employer Identification Number. An EIN is also called a Federal Tax ID Number, or FTIN. You don't have to be an employer (despite the term "employer" in "EIN").

If you want to fill out the form, print it, and mail it in, go here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf

If you want to fill it out online in an interview-style format and receive your number immediately upon completion, go here (although you may want to print the other one and fill it out so you have an idea of the questions): http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/...102767,00.html

Cali