If you've recently become a successor trustee, executor, or administrator, one of the first administrative tasks you'll run into is getting an Employer Identification Number (EIN) — either for the trust or for the probate estate. It sounds like a business formality, but it's actually a simple, free process — as long as you know the steps.

Why a Trust or Estate Needs an EIN

Once the person who owned the assets passes away, the trust or estate is treated as its own legal and tax entity — it can no longer use the deceased person's Social Security number. Banks, title companies, and the IRS will all require a separate EIN before you can:

• Open a trust or estate bank account

• Deposit proceeds from a home sale

• File the trust's or estate's tax return

• Distribute assets to beneficiaries or heirs

Without an EIN, you can't move funds — including sale proceeds from a probate or trust property — through a proper account, which can hold up closing.

Who Applies: Trustee vs. Executor vs. Administrator

Who's responsible for getting the EIN depends on how the property is held:

• Trust property: The successor trustee — the person named in the trust document to take over after the original trustee (usually the grantor) passes away or becomes incapacitated — applies for the trust's EIN.

• Probate estate with a will: The executor — the person named in the will and formally appointed by the court — applies for the estate's EIN.

• Probate estate without a will: The administrator — appointed by the court when there's no will naming an executor — applies for the estate's EIN.

The application itself is nearly identical either way; the main difference is simply which entity type you select (Trust vs. Estate) and whether you're applying as trustee, executor, or administrator.

Step 1: Confirm You Actually Need One

If the trust is still revocable (the person who created it is still living and has capacity), you generally don't need a new EIN — the trust can still use the grantor's Social Security number. An EIN is typically required after the death of the grantor, once the trust becomes irrevocable, or when a trust is split into sub-trusts for multiple beneficiaries.

Step 2: Gather What You'll Need

Before you start the online application, have these on hand:

• The legal name of the trust or estate (exactly as written in the trust document, or "Estate of [Decedent's Name]" for probate)

• The date the trust was created/became irrevocable, or the date of death for a probate estate

• The deceased person's Social Security number

• Your own name, address, and Social Security number (as trustee, executor, or administrator)

• For probate estates, have your court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration nearby — the IRS application doesn't ask you to upload them, but you'll need the appointment date and case details they confirm, and the bank will ask to see the letters themselves when you open the account

Step 3: Apply Online Through the IRS

The IRS offers a free online EIN application at IRS.gov. A few things to know:

• It's only available Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Eastern time

• The session times out after 15 minutes of inactivity, so have your information ready before you start

• You'll select the correct entity type: "Trust" (then "Irrevocable Trust" for most successor trustees) or "Estate" (for executors and administrators handling probate)

• At the end, you'll receive your EIN immediately in a downloadable confirmation letter (CP 575) — save this PDF right away

Step 4: Save and Share the Confirmation Letter

Once issued, that EIN confirmation letter is the document banks and escrow will ask for. Keep a digital and physical copy, and have it ready when you:

• Open the trust or estate checking account

• Work with escrow on a property sale

• Provide it to your CPA for the trust's or estate's tax filing

A Word of Caution

Only apply directly through IRS.gov. Third-party sites that charge a fee for this service are not affiliated with the IRS — obtaining an EIN is always free.

Where This Fits in the Bigger Picture

Getting the EIN is usually one of the earliest steps in trust or estate administration, often happening before a property can even go on the market. If you're a successor trustee, executor, or administrator navigating the sale of a trust or probate property in Orange County or Los Angeles County, I regularly walk clients through this process alongside their attorney or paralegal — it's a small step, but it's one that can quietly delay a closing if it's missed.

If you're not sure whether you're dealing with a trust or a probate estate, or what your next step should be as trustee, executor, or administrator, feel free to reach out — I'm happy to point you in the right direction.

Nancy Andreason | Coldwell Banker Realty | DRE #01730309 | (714) 944-3300