Filling out your W-9 form can be confusing. I’ve put together a quick guide on this blog post on how to fill out your Form W-9 as an individual or single-member LLC (limited liability company) as well as a multi-member LLC. If you’re still unsure about how to complete your W-9 form, it is recommended that you consult a tax professional or review the instructions available on the IRS website.

What is a W-9 form used for?

A W-9 form, also known as a Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, is an IRS form used by individuals or businesses to report their tax identification numbers. This form is used to provide information about the taxpayer such as name, address, and Tax Identification Number (TIN). The TIN must be included on all forms submitted to the IRS so that they can properly identify the taxpayer. The W-9 form also certifies that the information provided on it is correct and accurate. Furthermore, this form helps employers accurately report payments made to contractors which are then reported as income on their taxes. It’s important for both parties to keep a copy of the W-9 form in case of any discrepancies with tax filings later on.

Who Is Required to Fill out a W-9?

This form is used when an individual or company needs to report payments they have made to another person or business. Any independent contractor, self-employed worker, freelancer, and other non-employee working for a company is required to fill out a W-9 form. For any organization that pays these individuals more than $600 in a tax year, you must obtain:

• The individual’s name
• Address
• Taxpayer identification number or social security number from a W-9 form

Furthermore, companies must file information returns with the IRS and provide the related individual with Form 1099-MISC. Therefore, it’s essential that businesses request a completed W-9 before making any payments in order to fulfill their reporting requirements.

How to Fill out a W-9?

Filling out a W-9 is an important part of tax filing. I’m going to go through a step by step breakdown on how to fill it out when you are a sole proprietor or single member LLC (no-s corp election):

• Line 1: Your legal name
• Line 2: Business name if different from Line 1 (a DBA or trade name)
• Line 3: Choose your classification which would be individual/sole proprietor/single member LLC
• Line 4: Leave blank
• Line 5-6: Company Address or home address
• Line 7: Vendor account number if you have different account #s with the same vendor (optional and most likely you’ll leave it blank)
• Part I: Enter your SSN or EIN (if you have one as a sole proprietor). Single member LLCs who have an EIN, use your SSN.
• Part II: Sign and date

Once you have filled out the form completely, you must sign it in order for it to be valid. Be sure to double-check all of your information before submitting it; mistakes can lead to costly penalties if not corrected in time.

Does an LLC need to fill out a form W-9?

An LLC is a business structure that provides limited liability protection for its owners. As such, many companies will ask you to fill out a W-9 form in order to send payment. Form W-9 helps the IRS determine the LLC tax classification. You should keep copies of all forms filled out in case they are ever needed again in the future.

How Do You Fill out a W-9 for an LLC?

Filling out a W-9 Form for an LLC is almost the same as above.

If you are multi-member LLC, fill it out as follows:

• Line 1: Your business’s name
• Line 2: Business name if different from Line 1 (a DBA or trade name)
• Line 3: Choose LLC and your classification (s-corporation or c-corp if your LLC has elected to be taxed as that, partnership if you haven’t chosen an election)
• Line 4: Leave blank
• Line 5-6: Company Address
• Line 7: Vendor account number if you have different account #s with the same vendor (optional and most likely you’ll leave it blank)
• Part I: Enter your EIN (if you have one as a sole proprietor). Single member LLCs who have an EIN, use your SSN.
• Part II: Sign and date

The IRS may require LLCs to provide a copy of the completed W-9 Forms in order to verify information on returns and assess taxes as necessary.

When Do I Need to Request a Form W-9?

Generally, you should request a Form W-9 whenever you are making payments to an LLC, individual, or sole proprietor for services. If you are making payments of more than $600 in the course of a year, it is important that you have the contractor fill out and sign a Form W-9. This form provides information such as their name, address and taxpayer identification number (TIN). Having this information on file helps ensure that all the payments made to these contractors are properly reported to the IRS. Additionally, if you ever receive a letter from the IRS asking about payments made to any independent contractors, having completed Forms W-9 on hand can help you respond quickly and accurately.

Returning a Form W-9

When returning a Form W-9, it is important to include accurate information as any errors could result in penalties or fines. Individuals should ensure that all information requested on the form is correct before submitting to avoid delays and possible repercussions. All parties involved must keep copies of the completed forms for their own records in case they are needed at a later date.

And there you have it! How to fill out a form W-9. Learn more about forming and creating your LLC inside The LLC Launch e-book.