(Selection references to the Internal Revenue Code.)
Purpose of Form.–A person who is required to file an information return with the IRS must obtain your correct TIN to report income paid to you, real estate transactions, mortgage interest you paid, the acquisition or abandonment of secured property, or contributions you made to an IRA. Use Form W-9 to furnish your correct TIN to the requester (the person asking you to furnish your TIN) and, when applicable, (1) to certify that the TIN you are furnishing is correct (or that you are waiting for a number to be issued), (2) to certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, and (3) to claim exemption from backup withholding if you are an exempt payee. Furnishing your correct TIN and making the appropriate certifications will prevent certain payments from being subject to backup withholding.
Note:If a requester gives you a form other than a W-9 to request your TIN, you must use the requester’s form.
How To Obtain a TIN.–If you do not have a TIN, apply for one immediately. To apply, getForm SS-5, Application for a Social Security Number Card (for individuals), from your local office of the Social Security Administration, orForm SS-4, Application for Employer Identification Number (for businesses and all other entities), from your local IRS office.
To complete Form W-9 if you do not have a TIN, write “Applied for” in the space for the TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester. Generally, you will then have 60 days to obtain a TIN and furnish it to the requester. If the requester does not receive your TIN within 60 days, backup withholding, if applicable, will begin and continue until you furnish your TIN to the requester. For reportable interest or dividends payments, the payer must exercise one of the following options concerning backup withholding during this 60-day period. Under option (1), a payer must backup withhold on any withdrawals you make from your account after 7 business days after the requester receives this form back from you. Under option (2), the payer must backup withhold on any | | reportable interest or dividend payments made to your account, regardless of whether you make any withdrawals. The backup withholding under option (2) must begin no later than 7 business days after the requester receives this form back. Under option (2), the payer is required to refund the amounts withheld if your certified TIN is received within the 60-day period and you were not subject to backup withholding during that period.
Note:Writing“Applied for”on the form means that you have already applied for a TINORthat you intend to apply for one in the near future.
As soon as you receive your TIN, complete another Form W-9, include your TIN, sign and date the form, and give it to the requester.
What is Backup Withholding?–Persons making certain payments to you are required by the IRS to withhold at the applicable rate from payments that meet certain conditions. This is called “backup withholding.” Payments that could be subject to backup withholding include interest, dividends, broker and barter exchange transactions, rents, royalties, nonemployee compensation, and certain payments from fishing boat operators, but do not include real estate transactions.
If you give the requester your correct TIN, make the appropriate certifications, and report all your taxable interest and dividends on your tax return, your payments will not be subject to backup withholding. Payments you receive will be subject to backup withholding if:
1. You do not furnish your TIN to the requester, or 2. The IRS notifies the requester that you furnished an incorrect TIN, or 3. You are notified by the IRS that you are subject to backup withholding because you failed to report all your interest and dividends on your tax return (for reportable interest and dividends only), or 4. You fail to certify to the requester that you are not subject to backup withholding under (3) above (for reportable interest and dividend accounts opened after 1983 only), or | | 5. You fail to certify your TIN. This applies only to reportable interest, dividend, broker, or barter exchange accounts opened after 1983, or broker accounts considered inactive in 1983.
Except as explained in (5) above, other reportable payments are subject to backup withholding only if (1) or (2) above applied. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding and information reporting. SeePayees and Payments Exempt From Backup Withholding, below andExempt Payees and PaymentsunderSpecific Instructions, below, if you are an exempt payee.
Payees and Payments Exempt From Backup Withholding–The following is a list of payees exempt from backup withholding and for which no information reporting is required. For interest and dividends, all listed payees are exempt except item (9). For broker transactions, payees listed in (1) through (13) and a person registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 who regularly acts as a broker as exempt. Payments subject to reporting under sections 6041 and 6041A are generally exempt from backup withholding only if made to payees described in items (1) through (7), except a corporation that provides medical and health care services or bills and collects payments for such services is not exempt from backup withholding or information reporting. Only payees described in items (2) through (6) are exempt from backup withholding for barter exchange transactions, patronage dividend, and payments by certain fishing boat operators.
(1) A corporation. (2) An organization exempt from tax under section 501(a), or an IRA, or a custodial account under section 403(b)(7). (3) The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. (4) A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United States, or any of their political subdivisions or instrumentalities. (5) A foreign government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities. (6) An international organization or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. (7) A foreign central bank of issue. (8) A dealer in securities or commodities required to register in the |