Download Article
Learn how to correctly complete a business tax form
Download Article
A W-9 Form is a common IRS document. If you were hired by someone as an independent contractor or received certain types of income, you would have to fill out a W-9 Form. [1] X Trustworthy Source Internal Revenue Service U.S. government agency in charge of managing the Federal Tax Code Go to source You would then submit that form to your client or employer, who will use the information contained in the form to report your earnings to the IRS and to provide you with a 1099 to calculate your income taxes. Keep reading to learn how to properly complete a W-9 tax form.
Filling Out a W-9
- Make sure you're working on the correct form, and that it says "W-9" at the top. W-9s are used by freelancers, contractors, and those who hire them.
- Fill in your basic information like your name, your business' name, your legal status, and address. Also fill in your SSN or TIN.
- Sign and date the form at the bottom, then review the form to make sure you haven't made any errors.
Steps
Section 1 of 2:
Filling Out the W-9
Download Article
-
Make sure you've got the right form. You may receive the form from the client or company that hired you. Any entity who hires freelancers or independent contractors to do work needs to provide a W-9. You can access the correct W-9 form on the IRS website.
-
Complete the basic information in section one. Section one of the W-9 is where you will need to fill in your name, and address.
- For box 1, type or write your full name.
- For box 2, type or write your business's name (if you have one). If not, leave it blank.
- For box 3, check the box that describes you or the legal status of your business.
- If you are filling the form out for yourself and you are not being contracted through a company that you own or work for, check the “Individual” box.
- For box 4, only complete if you have an exemption code. Leave it blank if you are an individual.
- For box 5, type or write your street address.
- For box 6, type or write your city, state, and zip code.
- Box 7 is optional, only fill in this section if you have an account number that your employer will need.
Advertisement -
Move on to Part I. Fill in your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number or Employer Identification Number. Fill in the section that applies to you and make sure to only put one number in each box
- If you are an individual, type or write your social security number in the appropriate space.
- If you are a resident alien, sole proprietor, or disregarded entity, type or write your Taxpayer Identification Number.
- You can get a Taxpayer Identification Number if you don't have one.
- For all other entities, you will need to fill in your Employer Identification Number.
- If you have a TIN/EIN/SSN but cannot remember it, you can call the IRS at (800) 829-1040 or the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.
-
Sign and date the form in Part II. Before your sign and date the form, make sure that you read over the completed form and check to see if everything is correct. Read through the “Certification” information in Part II as well, so that you know what you are signing off on. Only sign if everything is accurate. If everything is correct and you have finished reading the certification information, sign your legal name and include the date. [2] X Trustworthy Source Internal Revenue Service U.S. government agency in charge of managing the Federal Tax Code Go to source
- By signing Part II of the W-9, you are stating that:
- the TIN you provided is correct
- you are not required to have 28% of your income withheld for tax purposes
- you are either a US citizen, resident alien, or business entity registered or recognized in the US, or a legal non-business entity recognized in the US
- you have provided correct information regarding your FATCA (Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act) requirements
- If you sign and one or more of these statements is false, you could face criminal charges, including perjury.
- By signing Part II of the W-9, you are stating that:
-
Turn the completed form into your client. The person or company that gave you the W-9 will use it at tax time. The W-9 is for whoever will be paying you for the services rendered. It is unnecessary to send a copy of the form to the IRS yourself.
-
Keep copies of the completed W-9 form. It's good to be on the safe side and make a copy for your own records. You can use it to compare to your 1099s and to contact a company or client if you are missing a 1099. Always contact clients if you haven't received a 1099-MISC come tax time.
Advertisement
Section 2 of 2:
Using the W-9 Correctly
Download Article
-
Fill out a W-9 for every client for whom you complete work. If you hire out your services to a business, they will need to have your information on file to help prepare their returns. Businesses will file a 1099-MISC for freelance or contracting work that totals more than $600 over the course of the year. [3] X Research source
- Clients use your W-9 to put the information you provide on the 1099-MISC, which will be sent to the IRS and to you, for your tax purposes, usually in late January.
-
Fill out a W-9 for investment purposes. The W-9 form is also used in certain other less common circumstances, related to investment and debt-collection. You may also need to fill out a W-9 in the following circumstances:
- Real estate transactions
- Payment of mortgage interest
- Acquisition or loss of secure property
- Cancelled debts
- Individual retirement arrangement (IRA) investments
-
Understand what "backup withholding" means. While the form is super-straightforward, the discussion of "backup withholding" on the second page throws most people for a loop. In general, if you're not involved with any investment opportunities with the client for whom you're filling out a W-9, and if you're filling it out in the capacity of an independent contractor or freelancer, you don't need to worry about this part. [4] X Research source
- Backup withholding allows the IRS to claim income tax from investors' earnings, in the event that an investor attempts to claim this money before tax has been levied on it. The payment owed is called "backup withholding." Again, in most cases, you're exempt and it will be your client who owes the 28% income charge, not you. [5] X Research source
- If your clients choose not to collect information from you with a W-9, or if you include incorrect information on your form, your clients be liable to furnish backup withholding fees to the IRS. If you fill out the form and furnish it to the requesters, you won't be liable for making these payments under any circumstances. Keep track of your records and you'll be fine.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionIs the W9 for the person that works for my daycare or for me?Cassandra Lenfert is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in Colorado. She advises clients nationwide through her tax firm, Cassandra Lenfert, CPA, LLC. With over 15 years of tax, accounting, and personal finance experience, Cassandra specializes in working with individuals and small businesses on proactive tax planning to help them keep more money to reach their goals. She received her BA in Accounting from the University of Southern Indiana in 2006.A W-9 form is used for collecting information from a contractor or vendor that a business will be paying for services. At the end of the tax year, the business will use the information on the W-9 form to complete a 1099-MISC that reports how much income the business paid to the contractor or vendor during the prior year.
-
QuestionWhat is the code on a W-9 tax form for a church?Cassandra Lenfert is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in Colorado. She advises clients nationwide through her tax firm, Cassandra Lenfert, CPA, LLC. With over 15 years of tax, accounting, and personal finance experience, Cassandra specializes in working with individuals and small businesses on proactive tax planning to help them keep more money to reach their goals. She received her BA in Accounting from the University of Southern Indiana in 2006.On line 3 of your W-9 form, check the "other" box. Then, write "nonprofit corporation exempt under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3)." However, you need to provide the actual code this particular church is exempt under, which could differ.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Video
Tips
- If you're unsure of your EIN, TIN or SSN, you can call the Internal Revenue Service. They will be able to issue you the correct number or tell you which number to fill in.Thanks
- If you have questions, talk your tax preparer or CPA. They can help you correctly complete the form, including line 3, which requires you to list your business type. As an alternative, ask the person who is requesting your form.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Make sure the information you provide is accurate and correct. If you are unsure about anything ask questions. This information must be precise and truthful. The information in the NAME field must be an exact match to the name the IRS has associated with the TIN/EIN/SSN. The tax identification number must be valid and correct so double check.Thanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-w-9
- ↑ http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw9.pdf
- ↑ http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/082714/filling-out-w9-form.asp
- ↑ http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/082714/purpose-w9-form.asp
- ↑ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/backupwithholding.asp
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To complete a W-9 tax form, start by accessing the form on the IRS website or requesting one from your client if you don't already have one. Keep in mind that you'll need to fill out a W-9 for every client you worked for and made $600 or more. Once you have the form, enter your basic personal information, like your name and address. You'll also need to enter your social security number if you're an individual or your Employer Identification Number if you're a business or other entity. Finally, sign and date the form. To learn how to submit a W-9 form, scroll down!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 505,185 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "Perfectly described what I needed to do to fill out a W-9. Mentioned what was important to me and what wasn't without having to read too much." ..." more
Advertisement
88%
of readers found this article helpful
.
Click a star to add your vote
% of people told us that this article helped them.
"Perfectly described what I needed to do to fill out a W-9. Mentioned what was important to me and what wasn't without having to read too much."
..."
more
"It was great that the site had step-by-step info. Thank you, you really helped me a lot and explained it so a child could understand it. "
..."
more
"Great help! I could read where and what information I needed to insert on my form and the arrows were a great visual. Thank you!"
..."
more
"It is not very clear how to answer Q3 for a working professional. This article made it very clear! Thanks."
"Helped me assist my daughter in the proper steps for her 1099 income. Thank you!"
