Do I need to provide a social security number if I want to open a checking account in the name of a trust, or to open a Totten trust account?
Banks are required to obtain an identifying number for each customer who opens an account. For a trust, that number may be the social security number of the trust's grantor if the trust can be revoked by the grantor. If the trust is not revocable by the grantor, it must obtain its own taxpayer identification number from the IRS.
For a Totten trust account, the bank must obtain the number of the actual account owner (often referred to as the trustee of a Totten trust). If that individual is a U.S. citizen or resident alien, it must be a social security number.
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Banks are required to obtain an identifying number for each customer who opens an account. For a trust, that number may be the social security number of the trust's grantor if the trust can be revoked by the grantor. If the trust is not revocable by the grantor, it must obtain its own taxpayer identification number from the 