Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification, is a tax form used by individuals and entities to provide their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to a requester. It’s commonly used by businesses to obtain the necessary information for reporting payments to the IRS, such as for independent contractors, freelancers, or other non-employee workers.
Here’s what it generally involves:
- Purpose: The W-9 form allows individuals or entities (like a business or freelancer) to provide their Social Security Number (SSN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) to the payer so that the payer can report the payments made during the tax year (e.g., on Form 1099-NEC).
- Certification: By signing the form, the individual or business certifies that the TIN is correct and that they are not subject to backup withholding, unless otherwise noted.
Stop Doing Business With Them
If the contractor refuses to provide W-9, then you should stop doing business with the contractor.