W-8BEN Form

📄 Download the official IRS Form W-8BEN (PDF) — open it in your browser or save it before you begin.

This form is shorter than it looks. Here's what you need to know before diving in.

🧾 What this form actually is
Form W-8BEN is a certificate that tells whoever's paying you: "I'm not American, and here's proof." It establishes your foreign status so you don't get taxed like a U.S. person — and if your country has a tax treaty with the U.S., it can help you pay less tax on certain income.

Think of it like saying: "I live in [your country], I'm not a U.S. person, and based on our countries' tax agreement, here's the tax rate that should apply to my income."

📬 This form does NOT go to the IRS.
You give it to the person or company that requested it — the brokerage, bank, platform, client, or whoever is paying you. They keep it on file. The IRS never sees your W-8BEN directly (unless they audit the payer).

💡 It's not a tax return.
You're not paying or filing taxes here — you're just providing your information so the payer knows how much tax to deduct (withhold) from your income, if any.

✏️ How to fill it out
Use black ink or type it on your computer. Write clearly — if it looks messy, the requester may ask you to redo it.

📄 Print on regular white paper if submitting a paper copy.
Many companies now accept electronic submissions through secure portals or digital signature tools.

🚫 Made a mistake? Just start fresh.
Don't cross things out or use correction fluid. It's faster to print a new copy than risk confusion or rejection.

💰 Why this matters — the 30% rule
Here's the key thing: without a properly completed W-8BEN, the payer is legally required to deduct 30% of your income before paying you and send that money to the IRS. That's called "withholding" — and 30% is the default U.S. withholding rate for foreign persons.

But if your country has a tax treaty with the U.S. (many do), you might qualify for a much lower rate — sometimes 15%, 10%, or even 0% depending on the type of income. This form is how you claim that lower rate.

📅 When someone typically asks for a W-8BEN:
→ You opened a brokerage account that holds U.S. investments (stocks, ETFs, mutual funds)
→ You're receiving dividends or interest from U.S. sources
→ You're a foreign freelancer or contractor getting paid by a U.S. company
→ You're earning royalties from U.S. sources (books, music, patents, etc.)
→ You're receiving rent from U.S. property
→ You signed up for a platform like Upwork, Amazon, or Stripe that needs your tax info

✅ Don't stress.
This form is short — just one page. If you've never done this before, it can feel intimidating, but it's actually much simpler than most tax forms. You can't mess it up badly if you follow along.