Accounting & tax

IRS Form W-9 (2026)

Collect a completed, signed Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) from a client, vendor, or contractor — everything you need to issue a 1099 and keep the payee's TIN on file.

Jason Smith
Jason Smith, Account Executive at ClientCollect
August 5, 2026

Name & Federal Tax Classification

  1. What is your full legal name? (as shown on your income tax return)
  2. Business name or disregarded entity name, if different from above (leave blank if none)
  3. What is your federal tax classification?
  4. Enter your LLC tax classification (C = C corporation, S = S corporation, P = Partnership)
  5. Please describe your other tax classification
  6. Line 3b: Do you have any foreign partners, owners, or beneficiaries? (Check only if the entity above is a partnership, trust/estate, or LLC providing a Form W-9 to a partnership, trust, or estate)

Exemptions

  1. Exempt payee code, if any (leave blank if none)
  2. Exemption from FATCA reporting code, if any (leave blank if none)

Address & Account Numbers

  1. Street address (number, street, and apartment or suite number)
  2. City, state, and ZIP code
  3. Requester's name and address (optional)
  4. List account number(s) here (optional)

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

  1. Your Social Security Number (SSN) — enter if you are an individual/sole proprietor (leave blank if using an EIN)
  2. Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) — enter if you are a business entity (leave blank if using an SSN)

Certification & Signature

  1. Sign here to certify, under penalties of perjury, that the information provided is correct
  2. Date signed

What is Form W-9?

Form W-9 is how a U.S. business collects a payee's legal name, business-entity type, and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) — either a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) — along with a signed certification. You request it from anyone you pay who may need a 1099 at year end.

When you need it

  • Onboarding a new vendor, contractor, or freelancer before their first payment
  • Before issuing a Form 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC after the end of the year
  • Updating a payee's details after a name, address, or entity change
  • Confirming whether a payee is subject to backup withholding

What this checklist collects

  • The payee's legal name, and business name if different
  • Federal tax classification (individual/sole proprietor, C corporation, S corporation, partnership, trust/estate, or LLC)
  • Any exemption codes (backup withholding or FATCA)
  • Mailing address
  • The TIN — an SSN or EIN
  • A signed certification (Part II)

Why request it through ClientCollect

Instead of emailing a blank PDF and chasing a signed copy, ClientCollect turns Form W-9 into a guided request. Your client answers plain-language questions on any device, the answers flow straight into the official W-9, and you get back a completed, signed PDF ready to file — with reminders handled for you.

Good to know

  • Keep the completed W-9 on file; you generally don't send it to the IRS yourself.
  • A payee only needs to submit a new W-9 when their information changes.
  • This checklist is general guidance, not tax advice — confirm requirements for each payee's situation.

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