W-9 Form

This form is for U.S. persons — which includes:
→ U.S. citizens (even if living abroad)
→ U.S. residents for tax purposes (including most green card holders and people who pass the "substantial presence test")
→ U.S. businesses such as LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and trusts

If you're not sure:
👉 If you pay U.S. taxes or have a Social Security Number — this form is probably for you.
👉 If you're a non-U.S. citizen living outside the U.S. without U.S. tax status — you'll likely need a Form W-8 instead, not a W-9.

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🧍 You'll Usually Need a W-9 If…

→ You're a freelancer or independent contractor getting paid by a company
→ You're renting out property and the tenant or management company needs to report payments
→ You receive interest or dividends from a bank or investment account
→ You're a vendor or supplier doing business with a company
→ You're part of a business partnership that receives payments
→ You sold goods or services worth $2,000 or more to a single payer in a year

In short — if someone's paying you and they'll report that payment to the IRS later, they'll ask for your W-9 first. It's completely normal, not a red flag.

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🚫 You Don't Need a W-9 If…

→ You're an employee receiving a regular paycheck — that's a W-4 (for withholding) and eventually a W-2 (for reporting)
→ You're not a U.S. person for tax purposes — use the appropriate W-8 form instead
→ You're receiving a gift or reimbursement that isn't taxable income

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✅ Quick check:

If they say...	You probably need...
"We need your W-9 so we can send you a 1099"	✓ W-9 (you're in the right place)
"We need this for payroll"	W-4 (different form — for employees)
"You're not a U.S. taxpayer, right?"	W-8 (for foreign persons)