Is an employer identification number (EIN) required if the husband and wife are the only persons working in the business?
If both of you carry on a business together and share in the profits and losses, you are a partnership and each would receive a Form 1065, Schedule K-1 (PDF) that is important for determining your self-employment income. If you work for your spouse, you should receive a Form W-2, showing taxes withheld and the owner spouse would claim the wages paid to you as a deduction. Both a partnership and a sole proprietor with an employee must have an EIN.
If both of you carry on a business together and share in the profits and losses, you are a partnership and each would receive a Form 1065, Schedule K-1 that is important for determining your self-employment income. If you work for your spouse, you should receive a Form W-2, showing taxes withheld and the owner spouse would claim the wages paid to you as a deduction. Both a partnership and a sole proprietor with an employee must have an EIN.
