IRS Form W-9 is most commonly used by individuals when they are working as a freelancer or independent contractor. If you ever find yourself filling out a Form W-9, it generally means that a business or person who is paying you money needs your Social Security number so it can notify the IRS of the amount.

Can you get a 1099 without filling out a W9?

When a vendor has failed to provide the proper W-9 documentation, a business owner is still allowed to process a year-end Form 1099-Misc form, reporting all income to the vendor. It will be up to the vendor to reconcile the information with the IRS and pay appropriate taxes.

Why do I need to fill out a W9 form?

The W-9 is not sent to the IRS but you need to have it on hand if it’s called for by the tax man. Following this protocol makes it easy for a business to access the relevant details of service providers when it comes time to submit the 1099-MISC to record payments of US$ 600 or more.

Do you need to send a W-9 to the bank?

They’ll need you to send them a completed W-9 before they can send you a Form 1099-MISC form. You’ll need that to report your income to the IRS. Banks sometimes also need a W-9 when you open a new account with them.

Do you have to send a copy of your W-9 to the IRS?

The W-9 is for whoever will be paying you for the services rendered. It is unnecessary to send a copy of the form to the IRS yourself. Keep copies of the completed W-9 form. It’s good to be on the safe side and make a copy for your own records. You can use it to compare to your 1099s and to contact a company or client if you are missing a 1099.

How to get your tax ID number for W-9?

Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification Go to for instructions and the latest information. Give Form to the requester. Do not send to the IRS. Print or type. See Specific Instructions on page 3. 1 Name (as shown on your income tax return). Name is required on this line; do not leave this line blank. 2