Select language

Form W-8 BEN

  1. Country USA
  2. Language English
  3. Activity Taxes
  4. Department Internal Revenue Service
Fill out this form
Form W-8 BEN

Certificate of Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting (Entities)

Rev. October 2021

[Form W-8BEN (Rev. October 2021)] This tax form is for individuals to provide identification and certification of foreign status for United States tax withholding and reporting. Part I requires the beneficial owner's identification, country of citizenship, permanent residence address, mailing address, U.S. taxpayer identification number, and foreign tax identifying number. Part II allows the beneficial owner to claim tax treaty benefits. Part III is a certification under penalties of perjury. The form must be given to the withholding agent or payer and not sent to the IRS.

Instructions

FAQ
  • What is my filing status?

    You can choose Single, Married Filing Jointly, Married Filing Separately, or Head of Household based on your personal circumstances.

  • What is the purpose of Form W-8BEN?

    Form W-8BEN is used by foreign individuals to certify that they are not subject to U.S. income tax withholding on certain types of income, such as scholarship or fellowship income.

  • If I qualify for a treaty exemption, do I need to complete Form W-8BEN?

    Yes, if you qualify for an exception under the first protocol of the U.S.-China tax treaty and want to claim exemption from tax on your scholarship or fellowship income, you would still need to complete Form W-8BEN.

  • What should I do with my completed Form W-8BEN?

    Give it to your withholding agent, who will use the information to reduce or eliminate income tax withholding on your income.

  • How do I sign and date Form W-8BEN?

    You must sign and date Form W-8BEN. The beneficial owner or account holder may incur liability for the penalties provided for an erroneous, false, or fraudulent form.

  • Do I need to file a tax return?

    It depends on your income and filing status.

  • What is the estimated burden for business taxpayers filing Form W-8BEN?

    The estimated burden for business taxpayers filing Form W-8BEN is approved under OMB control number 1545-0123.

  • What is the Paperwork Reduction Act?

    The Paperwork Reduction Act requires federal agencies to get approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before they can collect information from the public. It aims to reduce paperwork burden on the public.

  • What is backup withholding?

    Backup withholding is a requirement that a payer withhold a certain percentage of payments made to a nonresident alien individual or foreign entity if they haven't provided their correct taxpayer identification number or certified their exemption status.

  • What is a W-9 form and why do I need it?

    A W-9 form is used by individuals to provide their name and address to a business for tax reporting purposes. You may need to complete a W-9 if you are paid in cash or if your income isn't reported on a W-2 form.

  • How do I know what forms to file?

    You should consult with a tax professional, refer to the IRS website, or use tax software to determine which forms you need to file.

HOW TO

How to fill out Form W-8 BEN for free, online in 3 easy steps:

  1. 1
    Open form template in editor
    Click on the “Get this template” button.
  2. 2
    Fill out Form W-8 BEN
    Wait a moment and you will be redirected to our online PDF Filler app.
  3. 3
    Download file
    Download your completed Form W-8 BEN for free. You can also save it to a cloud storage.
Formize PDF Filler app
ABOUT

Tax forms

Form W-8 BEN is one of Tax forms that are documents used to report income, deductions, and tax liability to the relevant tax authority. These forms are an essential part of the tax filing process and are used to ensure individuals and businesses comply with tax laws and accurately calculate their tax obligations.

The specific tax forms required can vary depending on factors such as an individual's filing status, sources of income, and the country's tax laws. However, here are some common types of tax forms:

Individual Income Tax Forms: These forms, such as the 1040 series in the United States, are used by individuals to report their income, claim deductions and credits, and calculate their tax liability.

Business Tax Forms: Businesses, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and self-employed individuals, may have to file various forms to report their income, expenses, and taxes owed. Examples include Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) and Form 1120 (U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return).

Employment Tax Forms: Employers are required to report employee wages and withhold and remit payroll taxes. Forms such as W-2 (Wage and Tax Statement) and 941 (Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return) are used for this purpose.

Investment and Retirement Account Forms: These forms are used to report investment income, capital gains, and losses, as well as contributions and distributions from retirement accounts. Examples include Form 1099-DIV (Dividends and Distributions) and Form 5498 (IRA Contribution Information).

Estate and Gift Tax Forms: When a person passes away or makes significant gifts, specific forms such as Form 706 (United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return) and Form 709 (United States Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return) are used to report and calculate any applicable estate or gift taxes.

It is important to note that tax laws and forms can change over time, so individuals and businesses should consult the relevant tax authority or seek professional tax advice to ensure compliance with the current requirements.

FEATURES

PDF Filler

The easiest way to fill Form W-8 BEN online

  • Quickly fill out Form W-8 BEN
    Looking for a way to quickly fill Form W-8 BEN online? With our online free PDF form filler, you’ll know how to how to edit and fill this pdf document in less than a minute.
  • Easy to use online PDF editor
    Fed up with printing out PDF files so you can edit them, before rescanning and sending them back? Edit PDF documents for free online. Use our online pdf editor to save time and paper.
  • Great tools, all platforms
    Wondering how to fill in Form W-8 BEN on a Mac, or maybe how to use a PDF filler free? Our online PDF tools work on all platforms.
  • Secure file storage
    Completed "Form W-8 BEN" files are stored in a secured database managed by Amazon Cloud hosting. You can delete your files from our system anytime. In any case, these files are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
  • Chat with Form W-8 BEN
    Chat with "Form W-8 BEN" on Chatize that is a free PDF reader assistant. Ask questions and get answers from "Form W-8 BEN". Just click on Chat With Document button above.

Delete filling session

Delete the selected filling session? In this case, your progress in completing the form will be lost.

Delete editing session

Delete the selected editing session? In this case, your progress in creating and editing the form will be lost.