3/23    Self-employed sodans, is there any advantage at all in getting a
        Fed Tax ID when you are not required to, i.e. when you don't employ
        anyone else?  I know the obligatory "it's beyond stupid to seek
        * advice on the motd" but I have done some research and I do think
        there are sound advice from the motd, sometimes, and advice for which
        I pay $$$ is not always reliable.  tia.
        \_ I should add that one lawyer claimed on his web page that getting
           a Fed Employer Id can protect your asset even when you have no
           employee but I cannot verify that claim on any IRS regulation.
           \_ It would help if you decide to incorporate (not a bad idea) or
              if you MIGHT employ somebody. The IRS calls these Employer
              Identity Numbers (EIN). Look up:
              http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1635.pdf
                \_ "me too" - making yourself a closely-held corporation is
                        easy and the taxes are easy to do yourself too- look
                        into the S election for small corporations.     -brain
                   \_ Really?  Did you get a lawyer when starting up?  Some
                      books claim paperwork would be onerous.  And what about
                      double taxation?
                      \_ the paperwork is not bad; I recommend one of the Nolo
                         books... the hardest part is drafting your articles of
                         incorporation.  In my case, I did hire a lawyer, but
                         most of my friends said I was a sucker for doing so!
                            -brain
                      \_ S-corps are for small businesses. some berkeley
                         printing company makes do-it-yourself books for
                         this kinda thing. S-corps are pass-thru income
                         like LLC's and partnerships. the regular corps
                         (C-corps?) you can get double-taxed.
                         \_ See http://nolo.com for books.
                        \_ if you are the owner there is no reason you should
                           get double-taxed in a C-Corp even... there is no
                           dividend tax until 2006 !  Yay evil republicans!
                      \_ The best thing is that you can protect your assets
                         if something terrible happens to or at your job.