If it comes to giving your tax identification information to a third party, make sure you have a legitimate written contract with the agency about what they will do for you and a copy of their privacy policy.

With a mortgage identification number and the name of the bank, how can I research the status of the mortgage on a property?

If the person doesn't have a SS#, then we ask for an ITIN# (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).

We have one rental property, had one tenant for 17 years and are now looking for our second tenant and so are essentially new to the tenant identification/screening process.Thanks for any assistance you can give us.Terry

There are strict rules about wording of sales contracts, identification of replacement property, timing etc.

R803.2.1 Identification and grade.

In a mature subdivision you can do that and when there are sufficient homes to ensure that three sale do not skew the analysis.For example, in a new subdivision, where 4 out of 30 lots were built and sold are not good comps for the 5th house, 2 comps in that subdivison might be used with another from the neighborhood.A neighborhood is not necessairly a subdivision, it is a generally more of the soci-economic area identifed by similar attributes.

(Tracked the VIN).

You're correct on the 45 day identification window. 

Which then I come to find out she isn't a CPA, she is a tax professional with an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), authorizing her to sign federal tax returns.That leads me back to the strategy aspect, if she really did look over my taxes and was a strategist, the interest income I receive for selling one of my businesses shouldn't have all of the sudden change to ordinary income this year which subjected me to self employment tax.