International Student's Guide To Filling Out Form W9

International students on F1 visas are automatically considered non-resident aliens for their first five calendar years in the US. As a non-resident alien, you are required to fill out a W-8BEN form instead of a W-9 form. A W-9 form is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax form used to confirm a person's name, address, and taxpayer identification number (TIN) for employment or other income-generating purposes.

International students working as freelancers

As an international student working as a freelancer in the US, you may be required to fill out a Form W-9 or a W-8ECI. This is because, as a freelancer, you are considered self-employed, and your client needs this information for tax purposes.

The W-9 form simply verifies your identity for tax purposes. The client or company you are working for will need this information to report your transactions to the IRS if needed or to provide tax documents on interest from your accounts. You can provide the SSN number issued to you for work.

Before 2020, international students working as freelancers were advised to fill out the W-8ECI form. This form is used by US payors or withholding agents in the case of payments to foreign income recipients. The W-8ECI applies if the income is "effectively connected income" (ECI) and the foreign recipient will file a US tax return to report such income. If the income is not ECI, the W-8BEN form applies, and a separate withholding tax should be deducted.

However, as of January 1, 2020, international students working as freelancers in the US are required to submit a W-9 form. This is the same form that US citizens or residents would fill out. It is important to note that by signing a W-9 form, you are not considered an employee of the company, and no taxes will be withheld. You will be responsible for paying taxes when you file your tax return, typically using Form 1040NR.

If you are hired as an employee by a US company, you will be required to complete a W-4 form. Without this form, the company cannot employ you.

W-9 and self-employment

As an international student, you may find yourself in a situation where you are self-employed and working as an independent contractor or freelancer. In such cases, you may be required to fill out a Form W-9. This form is used by businesses to collect personal information, such as your name, address, and taxpayer identification number (usually your Social Security Number).

Form W-9 is commonly used by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to report taxable payments made to self-employed individuals, including independent contractors, freelancers, vendors, and other customers. It is important to note that businesses will typically request this form when you engage in most taxable transactions that need to be reported to the IRS.

If you are self-employed and working as an independent contractor or freelancer, it is likely that the company or individual you are providing services to will request a completed Form W-9 from you. This allows them to accurately prepare a 1099 form and report the payments they have made to you at the end of the year. Additionally, they can determine whether you are subject to backup withholding.

As a self-employed individual, you may also find yourself in a position where you are hiring other independent contractors or freelancers to work for you. In this case, you should also request completed Form W-9s from these individuals. This will help you fulfil your tax obligations and ensure you have the necessary information for reporting income paid to them.

It is important to keep your Form W-9 on file for at least four years for future reference and in case of any queries from the worker or the IRS. Additionally, ensuring that Form W-9 is completed accurately can help avoid issues when it comes to tax time.

SSN numbers and W-9

The W-9 form is used to provide people with your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Tax Identification Number (TIF). This can be your U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), or Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)/FEIN.

The W-9 form is required by an individual or entity who needs to file an information return with the IRS and must obtain the payee's correct TIN to report the amount paid to a payee. This form is most commonly used by individuals working as freelancers or independent contractors.

If you are a resident alien and are not eligible for an SSN, your TIN is the IRS ITIN. If you do not have a TIN, you can write "Applied For" in the designated space, which certifies that you are in the process of applying for one.

It is important to note that the W-9 form should only be completed and shared with trusted individuals or entities. Scammers may send W-9 forms to collect SSNs from unsuspecting individuals. Always verify the purpose of the request and be cautious about providing sensitive information to strangers.

W-9 and W-4 forms

The W-9 and W-4 forms are two of the most common tax documents, and due to their similarities, they are often confused with each other. However, there are some key differences between the two.

The Form W-9, or "Request for Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and Certification," is filled out by self-employed individuals or independent contractors. It is used to provide tax information to the businesses they work with and acts as an agreement that these individuals are responsible for withholding their own taxes from their income. It includes personal details such as the name, business name (if applicable), mailing address, and TIN of the payee. Independent contractors must provide a Form W-9 to every company they work with to receive a Form 1099-MISC, which reports their earnings for the tax year.

On the other hand, the Form W-4, or "Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate," is a federal form that employees must complete when starting a new job. It is used to inform the employer of how much tax to withhold from each paycheck, based on the employee's financial situation. This includes information such as the employee's full name, postal address, ZIP code, Social Security number, marital status, number of dependents, and any additional money the employer should withhold (such as Medicare taxes). Employees must submit an updated Form W-4 whenever their financial circumstances change, and it is recommended to consider completing a new form each year.

While the W-9 is an information return, the W-4 directly affects payroll tax withholdings. The W-4 helps employees monitor their tax outflow and avoid overpaying taxes. By completing the W-4 form, employees can claim exemptions if they have no income tax liability or expect to owe no tax for the current year. Marriage and the number of dependents can also impact the W-4 tax withholdings, so employees should update their forms accordingly.

W-9 and tax purposes

As an international student, you can fill out a W-9 form if you are working in the US and are considered a freelancer or self-employed. This form is used to verify your identity for tax purposes, and you will need to provide your SSN (Social Security Number) that was provided for work. It is important to note that if you are an employee, you will need to fill out a W-4 form instead.

If you are an international student on OPT (Optional Practical Training) with an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) card, you may be required to submit either a W-9 or a W-4 form, depending on your employment status. If you are working as a freelancer, you will need to fill out a W-9 form. However, if you are hired as an employee, you will be required to complete the W-4 form.

It is important to understand that by completing a W-9 form, you are indicating that you are self-employed, and no taxes will be withheld from your payments. You will be responsible for paying taxes when you file your tax return using Form 1040NR. On the W-9 form, you can write "nonresident for US tax purposes--do not withhold Social Security and Medicare" to indicate your status as an international student.

Previously, international students on OPT were advised to fill out the W-8ECI form, which is for foreign income recipients. However, as of 2020, the requirement changed, and international students working as freelancers are now required to submit the W-9 form. This change ensures that your income is properly reported to the IRS and that you comply with US tax laws while working in the country.

Frequently asked questions