Q. Where do I get a “Tax ID Number?”
A. To answer this question, first we need to clarify what is meant by “Tax ID Number.” Generally speaking, there are 2 types of Tax ID’s. One is a Federal Employer Identification Number. The other is a Sales Tax ID. For many business owners, an FEIN is required to start a business with employees. But in some cases, if you don’t have employees, you don’t need an FEIN. It is best to check with the Internal Revenue service to determine if you need an FEIN and how to apply for one if you do. Their website link is:
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article
A Sales Tax ID may be called a variety of things, depending upon the state you reside in. It might called a Vendor’s License, A Resellers’s ID, or any number of other terms. If your state collects sales tax, then you likely need some sort of Tax ID; either to purchase wholesale goods for resale, or just to sell goods that you make yourself from other supplies. Generally speaking, if you sell goods to others, whether you purchase them from someone else or make them yourself, and if your state has a sales tax, then you must collect and report sales tax on your sales. You need to check with your state’s tax authority to find out if you need any sort of ID or license. A link to each state’s tax authority can be found on my business site by following this link:
http://www.onlinebusinessjunction.com/startup/small-business-resources/
You’ll find the link that’s listed as SBA Tax Dept Links by State. From there you can contact your state authority for all the information you may need.
Q. Can I Copyright an idea?
A. Short answer: No. Ideas, Methods, or Systems cannot be protected by copyright. So even though it can be quite bothersome (and unethical, of course) when someone “steals” your idea, it is not a violation of any copyright law. For more information on Copyright, visit the US Copyright Office website.
http://www.copyright.gov
You can also find several pages of information about Copyright at my business resource site, OnlineBusinessJunction.com.
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