If a dependent is not eligible for an SSN, they can apply for which identification number?

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Multiple Choice

If a dependent is not eligible for an SSN, they can apply for which identification number?

When a dependent isn’t eligible for an SSN, the number used for tax purposes is the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. ITINs are issued by the IRS to people who must file a U.S. tax return but aren’t eligible for Social Security numbers, allowing proper processing of the tax return and any dependents listed on it. ITINs don’t authorize work in the U.S. or provide Social Security benefits. Why the other options don’t fit: an Employer Identification Number belongs to a business, not an individual; an SSN is reserved for those who are eligible for one, so it isn’t available to this dependent; a PIN isn’t a tax-identification number used on returns.

When a dependent isn’t eligible for an SSN, the number used for tax purposes is the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. ITINs are issued by the IRS to people who must file a U.S. tax return but aren’t eligible for Social Security numbers, allowing proper processing of the tax return and any dependents listed on it. ITINs don’t authorize work in the U.S. or provide Social Security benefits.

Why the other options don’t fit: an Employer Identification Number belongs to a business, not an individual; an SSN is reserved for those who are eligible for one, so it isn’t available to this dependent; a PIN isn’t a tax-identification number used on returns.

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