mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
Simply-the-best-for-you Volunteer Community Mentor
@grand-and-glorious-purpose wrote:You have the password, sign in and put your details on it.
Now it's your account.
It does NOT work that way for the Account ownership information. You can NOT change the SSN or taxpayer ID number, whichever was used originally.
A sole proprietorship is also a legit business entity. All I'm saying is we don't know what or how the OP's husband set up their account. But the fact remains, you can not change the tax ID number on an account.
Maybe with Ebay's assistance you can, but it is unlikely they will allow the account to be re-adjusted to be someone totally different from the husband in this case.
@iamalwaysright You can get an EIN & still be a sole prop, you don't need to be a LLC, however that won't help OP unless they already have one.
@drkenb Also, they can't just keep using it, if it is tied to his SSN b/c the SSA are the first people notified of a passing (just went through it)
@luckylindey I am so sorry you are dealing with this!
Even if you switch to an LLC while he is alive, IDK if you can actually change the existing account. Even though I have an EIN, a few years ago I got one of those 'confirm your info' notifications from eBay & it would not go away until I changed my EIN back to my SSN 😞 They wouldn't let me use it, despite the fact that this was the only reason I got it .
We won't know until and unless the OP @luckylindey comes back and tells us how their account is currently set up. I don't assume they have it set up one way or the other.
@iamalwaysright wrote:
@simply-the-best-for-you I'm not sure if that EIN for SP behaves like it does for LLC and other multi-member entities though. If you aren't able to eventually take over that EIN for SP, then going that route wouldn't resolve the OP's issue. But for LLC's I'm pretty sure you can.
@iamalwaysright Unfortuately, I don't know either. I also think you can for LLC, but IDK for SP & we don't even know if OP's acct is a SP. It probably is, but we don't know for sure.
@iamalwaysright wrote:
@simply-the-best-for-you wrote:
Even if you switch to an LLC while he is alive, IDK if you can actually change the existing account. Even though I have an EIN, a few years ago I got one of those 'confirm your info' notifications from eBay & it would not go away until I changed my EIN back to my SSN 😞 They wouldn't let me use it, despite the fact that this was the only reason I got it .
I'm assuming you got your EIN thru an LLC? If I recall correctly, they ask for the SSN of the beneficial owner(s). If the OP has her SSN when opening the LLC as well as the husband's SSN, she'll put both of them when ebay asks. I think eventually she'll be able to remove the husband from it. It's not an overnight process though. It might just be more worth it to start a new account.
@iamalwaysright No, I did not get my EIN through an LLC. That's what I was saying. I got my EIN as a Sole Propieter. eBay seems to think (they've even posted) that EIN's only go to LLC's, but that's not true! You can be a Sole Prop & get an EIN. I know of many others who did the same.
I'm headed out the door, so if you have a follow-up I won't see it for awhile.
Excellent advice.
I would just add that @luckylindey send out an announcement to their followers regarding the move to the new account after it is set up and ready to go.
Also in the description of the listings that remain under this original account, you can put a note in the Description that you are migrating all listings to the new selling ID. No reason needs to be given, but a link to their new account is allowable by Ebay since it is a link to another account on the site.
@sextons-sweet-deals wrote:I'm sorry about your spouse's health issues, but you seem more worried about your eBay account rather than focusing on your spouse at this time, possible funeral arrangements, and contacting relatives / friends.
WOW how unfair and PRESUMPTUOUS on your part. Totally rude and judgmental at a time when the OP is under so much stress.
Just for the record, because someone tries to ask a simple question doesn't mean they are fully involved in all the other stuff you have said and more. Being proactive is NOT a flaw in someone's personality, it is an ASSET.
Why you felt the need or were compelled to potentially add to this persons stress is beyond understanding. There was no GOOD reason for this post to happen. It is hurtful and irresponsible as a fellow human being.
In case anyone is interested in getting an EIN, here is the link.
