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Form W-9 - What Is It and How Is It Used?

Written by Riley Adams, CPA • Reviewed by a TurboTax CPAUpdated for Tax Year 2024 • October 16, 2024 1:59 AM
OVERVIEW

Form W-9 is a commonly used IRS form for providing necessary information to a person or company that will be making payments to another person or company. One of the most common situations is when someone works as an independent contractor for a business. When you are hired as a contractor for a business or beginning work as a freelancer, you may be asked to complete a W-9 and provide it to the business that will be paying you.

 

Key Takeaways

  • Form W-9 provides personal identifiable information to a person or business used for reporting income paid to individuals such as self-employed people like independent contractors, freelancers, vendors or other customers.
  • There are a variety of incomes reported on a 1099 form, including independent contractor income and payments like gambling winnings, rents or royalties, gains and losses in brokerage accounts, dividend and interest payments, and more.
  • The person or business you do business with uses the W-9 to collect some of your personal information like your name, address and taxpayer identification number (Social Security numbers for individuals and employer identification numbers, or EINs, for businesses).
  • You will usually submit a W-9 when you engage in most taxable transactions that need reporting to the IRS.

What is IRS Form W-9?

Form W-9 is a commonly used IRS form. If you do business with a company that pays you as an independent contractor, freelancer or gig worker (in other words, self-employed), or will be paid income such as interest or dividends, a company may request that you fill out and send a W-9 so they can accurately prepare a 1099 form, report the payments they make to you at the end of the year and know whether or not you are subject to backup withholding. And, if you hire independent contractors in your business you likely should ask for completed W-9 forms from these people.

Who Asks for a Completed W-9?

The person or business paying you is responsible for requesting the W-9 Form from you. However, the requester has no obligation to file the W-9 with the IRS. That person keeps the form on file and uses this information to prepare other returns, such as 1099 Forms and 1098 Forms, as well as to determine whether federal tax withholding is necessary on the payments you receive.

Who Needs to Complete Form W-9?

You will usually submit a W-9 form when you engage with a company where reporting information to the IRS might be necessary, such as receiving payments for services you provide as an independent contractor, paying interest on your mortgage or even contributing money to your IRA account.

The individual or business you are doing business with uses the W-9 to collect some of your personal information, the most important of which is your taxpayer identification number (TIN).

When Should You Ask for a W-9?

When you begin working with a contractor or freelancer that you will be paying, you should request that the contractor complete a Form W-9 prior to starting any engagement. Failing to do so could prove troublesome after beginning the work.

Therefore, before starting any work with a person or business, be sure to ask for a Form W-9 if they haven’t already provided you with one. Failing to do so could make you required to pay withholding taxes on the money that you pay them.

 

TurboTax Tip:

Companies who engage you as a contractor or make payments to you for services you provide will likely ask for a completed W-9. Likewise, banks, brokerage firms and other payers typically ask for a completed W-9 to prepare your 1099s to report items such as interest, dividends, cancellation of debt and more.

 

What is backup withholding?

Backup withholding is money sent to the IRS from income payments which otherwise wouldn’t be subject to withholding. Payers may be required to withhold taxes to ensure that the IRS will receive income taxes that are owed to them.

Taxpayers may be subject to backup withholding when failing to supply a correct taxpayer identification number (TIN) or if the IRS believes that they owe them money and they aren’t able to collect it any other way. Further, individuals or businesses can become subject to backup withholding for failing to report interest, dividend or patronage dividend income.

Specifically, you may be subject to backup withholding and the payer must withhold at a flat 24% rate for 2023 and 2024 when:

  • you fail to supply your TIN or provide an incorrect TIN
  • the IRS notifies the payer to withhold taxes because you have a history of underreporting your income on your tax return (the IRS typically will only do this after it has mailed you four notices over at least a 120-day period)
  • you fail to certify that you’re not subject to backup withholding

You can usually prevent backup withholding by supplying the correct information when requested and paying an appropriate amount of taxes each year. If you receive a 1099 form stating you’ve had taxes withheld through backup withholding, be sure to report this as federal income tax withheld on your income tax return.

Form W-9 Form vs. Form W-4

When beginning to work as either an independent contractor or an employee, you should expect to fill out some paperwork providing your personal identifiable information.

As an independent contractor, vendor, freelancer or other individual receiving nonemployee compensation, you typically do not work for the person or business as an employee. If you don’t work as an employee, you’ll typically have your earnings reported on a Form 1099-NEC and will need to prepare a W-9.

Form W-9 will have your personal identifiable information and states whether you’re subject to backup withholding. Unless you are subject to backup withholding, this individual or business will not withhold taxes on your behalf.

In contrast, if you are an employee, you’ll complete Form W-4 to let your employer know how much money you wish to have withheld from your paycheck for federal income taxes.

Completing Form W-9

You can download the W-9 form from the IRS website. To complete Form W-9, you’ll need to provide information for the following lines and parts:

Line 1 - Name

If submitting this W-9 as an individual, you should enter the name shown on your tax return. If you have changed your last name without informing the Social Security Administration (SSA), enter your first name, the last name as shown on your Social Security card and your new last name.

If you’ve applied for an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), enter your name as you entered it on your Form W-7 application, line 1a. This should also match with the name entered on Form 1040.

If entering as a sole proprietor or single-member LLC, enter your individual name as shown on your 1040/1040A/1040EZ. You can enter your business, trade or “doing business as” (DBA) on line 2.

If completing the form as a Partnership, multiple-member LLC, C Corporation or S Corporation, enter the name on line 1 as shown on the corresponding tax return as well as the business, trade or DBA name on line 2.

Line 2 - Business Name

If completing your W-9 as a business, use this line to provide the information.

Line 3 - Federal Tax Classification

Depending on your circumstance, select the most appropriate federal tax classification on line 3 for the name entered on line 1. Check only one box on line 3 of the W-9.

Several types of individuals and businesses can fill out Form W-9. These are the options for which box you should check on line 3.

Individual or Business Type 
If the person or business listed on Line 1 is a corporationCorporation
If an individual, sole proprietorship, or single-member LLC owned by an individual and disregarded for federal tax purposesIndividual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC
If an LLC treated as a partnership, disregarded entity separate from its owner and owned by another LLC not disregarded for federal tax purposesLimited liability company and enter the appropriate tax classification (P=Partnership; C=C Corporation; or S=S Corporation)
If a partnershipPartnership
If a trust/estateTrust/estate

Line 4 - Exemptions

If you complete Form W-9 as an individual, you don’t need to worry about filling out this section.

Certain businesses and organizations are exempt from backup withholding in certain instances and will need to fill out this line. Should any of these apply to your situation, you’ll need to provide a number or letter code from the instructions representing the reasons behind making this declaration. In most cases, corporations and businesses will be exempt from backup withholding.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) appears on the second prompt of the Exemptions line. Foreign financial institutions are generally required to report payments to, and withhold taxes from payments to their customers that are United States persons. However, certain payees are exempt from this and will need to enter the applicable code from the Form W-9 instructions to assert their exemption.

Lines 5 and 6 - Address, city, state and ZIP Code

This will be the address where the person or business will mail you your 1099. The address, city, state and ZIP code will go into Lines 5 and 6.

Line 7 - Account number(s)

Use Line 7 if you need to supply the person or business paying you with account information such as a bank or brokerage account that pertains to the request for the W-9.

Part I - TIN

In this section, you will provide your taxpayer identification number (TIN). As an individual or single-member LLC, this will usually be your Social Security Number. It can also include your employer identification number (EIN) if you are a multi-member LLC classified as a partnership, C Corporation or S Corporation.

If you operate as a sole proprietor, you may include either number.

In the event you live in the United States as a resident alien and thus are ineligible for a SSN, you can use your IRS ITIN.

Part II - Certification

You sign and date the form in this field, declaring the information you have provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge. You will need to cross out Item 2 of the certification if you are subject to backup withholding for failing to to report all interest and dividends on your tax return.

Your certification states that you are a U.S. citizen, other U.S. person or resident alien. If you are preparing your W-9 as a joint account, only the person whose TIN shows in Part I should sign.

Using Form W-9

At the end of the tax year, the information contained on the completed Form W-9 gets used to prepare 1099 forms like 1099-NEC, 1099-MISC, 1099-INT, and 1099-DIV. Making sure that Form W-9 is completed accurately can save a lot of trouble come tax time.

To understand more about tax deductions, visit our Self-Employed Tax Deduction Calculator for Contractors.

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The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.

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  • My Docs: Included with TurboTax Deluxe, Premium TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service, or with PLUS benefits and is available through December 31, 2025. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • Tax Return Access: Included with all TurboTax Free Edition, Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live, and TurboTax Live Full Service products. Access to up to seven years of tax returns we have on file for you is available through December 31, 2025. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • Easy Online Amend: Individual taxes only. With TurboTax Deluxe, Premium, TurboTax Live, TurboTax Live Full Service, or with PLUS benefits, you can make changes to your 2024 tax return online through October 31, 2027. For TurboTax Live Full Service, your tax expert will amend your 2024 tax return for you through November 15, 2025; after that date, TurboTax Live Full Service customers will be able to amend their 2024 tax return themselves using the Easy Online Amend process described above. TurboTax Free Edition customers may amend 2024 tax returns online through October 31, 2025. Terms and conditions may vary and are subject to change without notice.

  • #1 best-selling tax software: Based on aggregated sales data for all tax year 2023 TurboTax products.

  • #1 online tax filing solution for self-employed: Based upon IRS Sole Proprietor data as of calendar year 2024, for tax year 2023. Self-Employed defined as a return with a Schedule C/C-EZ tax form. Online competitor data is extrapolated from press releases and SEC filings. “Online” is defined as an individual income tax DIY return (non-preparer signed) that was prepared online and either e-filed or printed, not including returns prepared through desktop software.

  • 1099-Ks: Those filing in TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Assisted Basic or TurboTax Live Full Service Basic will be able to file a limited IRS Schedule 1 if they have hobby income or personal property rental income reported on a Form 1099-K, and/or a limited IRS Schedule D if they have personal item sales with no gain reported on Form 1099-K. Those filing in TurboTax Deluxe, TurboTax Live Assisted Deluxe or TurboTax Live Full Service Deluxe will be able to file a limited IRS Schedule D if they have personal item sales income reported on Form 1099-K. If you add other schedules or forms, or need to report other types of income on Schedules 1, D, E, F, or Form 4835 you may be required to upgrade to another TurboTax product.

  • 1099-K Snap and Autofill: Available in mobile app and mobile web only.

  • 1099-NEC Snap and Autofill: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). Available in mobile app only. Feature available within Schedule C tax form for TurboTax filers with 1099-NEC income.

  • Year-Round Tax Estimator: Available in TurboTax Premium (formerly Self-Employed) and TurboTax Live Assisted Premium (formerly Self-Employed). This product feature is only available after you finish and file in a self-employed TurboTax product.

  • Refer a Friend: Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (Intuit's own experts): Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Refer your Expert (TurboTax Verified Pro): Maximum of $500 in total rewards for 20 referrals. See official terms and conditions for more details.

  • Average Refund Amount: $3,207 is the average refund amount American taxpayers received in the 2024 filing season based upon IRS data as of February 16, 2024 and may not reflect actual refund amount received. Each taxpayer's refund will vary based on their tax situation.

  • More self-employed deductions: based on the median amount of expenses found by TurboTax Premium (formerly Self Employed) customers who synced accounts, imported and categorized transactions compared to manual entry. Individual results may vary.

  • TurboTax Online Business Products: For TurboTax Live Assisted Business and TurboTax Full Service Business, we currently don't support the following tax situations: C-Corps (Form 1120) and entities electing to be treated as a C-Corp, Trust/Estates (Form 1041), Tax Exempt Entities/Non-Profits, returns that require more than 5 state filings, and other issues unrelated to the preparation of a tax return or unrelated to business income/franchise taxes. TurboTax Live Assisted Business is currently available only in AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, and WY.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for an additional fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. Audit Defense is included at no added cost with business returns filed with TurboTax Live Business (excluding Sole Proprietor). See Membership Agreements at https://www.intuit.com/legal/terms/ for service terms and conditions.

TURBOTAX DESKTOP GUARANTEES

TurboTax Desktop Individual Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee - Individual Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Maximum Refund Guarantee / Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - or Your Money Back - Individual Returns: If you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from another tax preparation method by filing an amended return, we'll refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state software license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement for details.

  • Audit Support Guarantee - Individual Returns: If you receive an audit letter from the IRS or State Department of Revenue based on your 2024 TurboTax individual tax return, we will provide one-on-one question-and-answer support with a tax professional, if requested through our Audit Support Center, for audited individual returns filed with TurboTax Desktop for the current 2024 tax year and, for individual, non-business returns, for the past two tax years (2022, 2023). Audit support is informational only. We will not represent you before the IRS or state tax authority or provide legal advice. If we are not able to connect you to one of our tax professionals, we will refund the applicable TurboTax federal and/or state license purchase price you paid. This guarantee is good for the lifetime of your personal, individual tax return, which Intuit defines as seven years from the date you filed it with TurboTax Desktop. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business returns. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop software, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

TurboTax Desktop Business Returns:

  • 100% Accurate Calculations Guarantee - Business Returns: If you pay an IRS or state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax calculation error, we'll pay you the penalty and interest. Excludes payment plans. You are responsible for paying any additional tax liability you may owe. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Maximum Tax Savings Guarantee - Business Returns: If you get a smaller tax due (or larger business tax refund) from another tax preparation method using the same data, TurboTax will refund the applicable TurboTax Business Desktop license purchase price you paid. Additional terms and limitations apply. See License Agreement  for details.

  • Satisfaction Guarantee/ 60-Day Money Back Guarantee: If you're not completely satisfied with TurboTax Desktop software, go to refundrequest.intuit.com within 60 days of purchase and follow the process listed to submit a refund request. You must return this product using your license code or order number and dated receipt. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

TURBOTAX DESKTOP DISCLAIMERS

  • Installation Requirements: Product download, installation and activation requires an Intuit Account and internet connection. Product limited to one account per license code. You must accept the TurboTax License Agreement to use this product. Not for use by paid preparers.

  • TurboTax Desktop Products: Price includes tax preparation and printing of federal tax returns and free federal e-file of up to 5 federal tax returns. Additional fees apply for e-filing state returns. E-file fees may not apply in certain states, check here for details. Savings and price comparison based on anticipated price increase. Software updates and optional online features require internet connection. Desktop add-on products and services purchased are non-refundable.

  • Fastest Refund Possible: Get your tax refund from the IRS as fast as possible by e-filing and choosing to receive your refund by direct deposit. Tax refund time frames will vary. The IRS issues more than 9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days.

  • Average Refund Amount: $3,207 is the average refund amount American taxpayers received in the 2024 filing season based upon IRS data as of February 16, 2024 and may not reflect actual refund amount received.

  • TurboTax Technical Support: Customer service and technical support hours and options vary by time of year.

  • Deduct From Your Federal Refund: Individual taxes only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Additional terms apply. A $40 Refund Processing Service fee applies to this payment. method. Prices are subject to change without notice.

  • Data Import: Imports financial data from participating companies; Requires Intuit Account. Quicken and QuickBooks import not available with TurboTax installed on a Mac. Imports from Quicken (2022 and higher) and QuickBooks Desktop (2023 and higher); both Windows only. Quicken import not available for TurboTax Desktop Business. Quicken products provided by Quicken Inc., Quicken import subject to change.

  • Live Tax Advice: Access to tax experts to obtain answers to tax questions and to assist with tax year 2024 return(s) prepared with TurboTax Desktop software. Additional fees apply. Must be purchased and used by October 31, 2025. Excludes TurboTax Desktop Business. See License Agreement for details.

  • Audit Defense: Audit Defense is a third-party add-on service provided, for a fee, by TaxResources, Inc., dba Tax Audit. See Membership Agreements at https://turbotax.intuit.com/corp/softwarelicense/ for service terms and conditions.

All features, services, support, prices, offers, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

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