W8, W 8BEN or W8 tax form explained
Generally, this will be the person from whom you receive the payment, who credits your account, or a partnership that allocates income to you. An FFI may also request this form from you to document your account as other than a U.S. account. Give Form W-8BEN to the person requesting it before the payment is made to you, credited to your account, or allocated.
If you qualify for a status that is not shown on this form, you may attach applicable certifications for such status from any other Form W-8 on which the relevant certifications appear. If the applicable certifications do not appear on any Form W-8 (if, for example, new regulations provide for an additional status and this form has not been updated to incorporate the status) then you may provide an attachment certifying that you qualify for the applicable status described in a particular Regulations section. Any such attached certification becomes an integral part of this Form W-8BEN-E and is subject to the penalty of perjury statement and other certifications made in Part XXX. If you do not check the box and make the certification on line 40b, you must check this box 40c and complete Part XXIX to identify and provide the name, address, and TIN of each of your substantial U.S. owners.
What is a W-9 tax form?
Withholding agents are required to request Form W-8 from applicable payees. There are different types to consider that apply to foreign individuals, businesses, or other organizations with income-earning activities in the US. Titled “Certificate of Foreign Person’s Claim for Exemption From Withholding on Income Effectively Connected With the Conduct of a Trade or Business in the United States,” this form applies to foreign persons who engage in trade or business within the US from which they derive an income. The W-8BEN-E is used for businesses, unlike the W-8BEN, which is only for individuals. The W-8BEN-E is required, as foreign businesses are subject to the same withholding tax rate as individuals—30%. However, businesses, like individuals, may also qualify for a reduced tax rate.
Whether you’re an established multinational business or a startup venturing into new markets, understanding W-8 forms can help ensure your business is compliant with US tax regulations. It can also help you use tax treaty benefits, potentially saving you significant sums of money. For example, if a partnership is listed as the holder or owner of a financial account, then the partnership is the account holder, rather than the partners of the partnership (subject to some exceptions). However, an account that is held by a single-member disregarded entity is treated as held by the entity’s single owner. If you satisfy the substantial presence test, you must notify the withholding agent, payer, or financial institution with which you have an account within 30 days and provide a Form W-9. Withholding agents aren’t obligated to provide payees who have submitted any Form W-8 with a Form 1099 at year’s end.
What is the Difference Between Form W-8BEN and Form W-8BEN-E?
Chapter 4 also requires participating FFIs and certain registered deemed-compliant FFIs to document their entity account holders in order to determine their chapter 4 statuses regardless of whether withholding applies to any payments made to the entities. If you are an entity maintaining an account with an FFI, the FFI may request that you provide this Form W-8BEN-E in order to document your chapter 4 status. Provide Form W-8BEN-E to the withholding agent or payer before income is paid or credited to you. Failure to provide a Form W-8BEN-E when requested may lead to withholding at a 30% rate or the backup withholding rate in certain cases when you receive a payment to which backup withholding applies. An individual can be completely exempt from withholding, but it’s not easy to receive that status.
This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. This guide defines what IRS form W-8BEN is, its purpose, whether the IRS requires it, when and who should submit it, and to which parties it should be sent. How to fill out the tax form using IRS Instructions for Form W-8BEN is also covered. During their precious and exhausting search for the right experts, they realized that they had not only accumulated a wealth of knowledge but had also built a solid network of tax and legal experts – which could come in handy for others in similar situations.
Form W8 series updated to comply with new tax requirements
If the account to which a payment is made or credited is in the name of the disregarded entity, you should inform the withholding agent of this fact. This may be done by including the name and account number of the disregarded entity on line 7 (reference number) of the form. However, if the disregarded entity is claiming treaty benefits as a hybrid entity, it should complete Form W-8BEN-E instead of this Form W-8BEN. Form W-8BEN-E must be signed and dated by an authorized representative or officer of the beneficial owner, participating what is a w8 payee (for purposes of section 6050W), or account holder of an FFI requesting this form. You must check the box to certify that you have the legal capacity to sign for the entity identified on line 1 that is the beneficial owner of the income. If Form W-8BEN-E is completed by an agent acting under a duly authorized power of attorney, the form must be accompanied by the power of attorney in proper form or a copy thereof specifically authorizing the agent to represent the principal in making, executing, and presenting the form.
The information required and the complexity of filling out and filing a W8 form varies significantly depending on which form applies to you. Depending on the exact form, you may also be required to include various other documents, such as withholding receipts and other forms of proof with your submission. As such, they are a critical part of a foreign individual or business’ tax minimization strategy. Form W-8BEN-E is also titled “Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting,” but it is filed by foreign entities, not individuals.