Do You Need an EIN for a Miller Trust in Indiana?
Indiana publishes an official 'What to tell the bank' memo stating that a Miller trust is established with the beneficiary's Social Security number and does NOT use an EIN — it is a grantor trust under IRC §671, and the memo reproduces the IRS Internal Revenue Manual instruction not to assign an EIN to a Miller-type trust. The memo also states that a general financial or health-care Power of Attorney should be sufficient to establish the trust. Hand the branch this FSSA memo if they ask for an EIN; only Indiana and New Jersey publish one. That is the rule for a Indiana Qualified Income Trust. The question comes up most often at the bank, where staff may ask for an EIN out of habit. Below is what applies in Indiana and what to do if a branch's requirement differs from what FSSA publishes. This guide is informational only and is not legal or tax advice; for your specific situation, consult a qualified professional.
Why the bank may still ask for one
Even though FSSA does not require it, branch staff often ask for an EIN out of habit, because most trusts they open need a separate tax ID. If that happens, keep to how the account is titled under FSSA's guidance, and ask for the bank's trust department if the first person can't help.
Either way, the account is an ordinary bank account
Whether or not an EIN is involved, a Indiana Miller Trust account is a plain dedicated checking account titled to the trust — not a special product. What trips families up is rarely the tax ID; it is the branch's unfamiliarity with the account type. Knowing the answer before you go keeps the EIN question from turning into a wasted trip.
The EIN question almost always surfaces at the counter. See what to say at the bank in Indiana for the other refusals families hit, and the full step-by-step setup.
Common questions
- Do you need an EIN to open a Indiana Miller Trust account?
- Indiana publishes an official 'What to tell the bank' memo stating that a Miller trust is established with the beneficiary's Social Security number and does NOT use an EIN — it is a grantor trust under IRC §671, and the memo reproduces the IRS Internal Revenue Manual instruction not to assign an EIN to a Miller-type trust. The memo also states that a general financial or health-care Power of Attorney should be sufficient to establish the trust. Hand the branch this FSSA memo if they ask for an EIN; only Indiana and New Jersey publish one.