Thank you for the response. I am in the exact same situation as the original poster in that I have a SMLLC that is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner, but I do not want to give my SSN to every client that needs a W9 from me. I know someone in the same situation who says she puts her SMLLC’s EIN on W9s and has not had any issues doing that, but I am hesitant because it does not follow the instructions on the form and I have read that it can create discrepancies in how income is reported to the IRS.
It seems the solution is to apply for and obtain an EIN for an individual (myself) and use that on the W9. That way I follow the IRS’s instructions while also limiting the risk of a careless or nefarious client potentially exposing my SSN. I have read a couple of posts saying not to apply for an Individual/Sole Proprietor EIN to use on a W9 for an LLC because an EIN is meant for a business, not an individual, but since the IRS ties the Individual EIN directly to my SSN, would it really be a problem?
