4 ms·
If you want to engage independent contractor in the US, you need to solicit federal form W-9 which requires the contractor to provide a Taxpayer Identification
by wtn 13y ago
If you want to engage independent contractor in the US, you need to solicit federal form W-9 which requires the contractor to provide a Taxpayer Identification Number (Employer Identification Number or Social Security Number). If you are engaging a corporation, they usually don't have to provide a W-9.
If you are a contractor trying to register as a company, you need to put a Social Security Number for each owner/officer on the registration forms (in most [all?] of the United States). Persons who aren't authorized to work can get an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) which is a restricted Social Security Number. Restrictions include no ability to collect benefits and expiration after five years.
EDIT: By "register a company" I meant that if you have an ITIN you at least have a number to put in that space on the registration form. Whether or not the jurisdiction will accept the number will vary. Whether or not banks in the area will let you open an account will vary by jurisdiction as well.
- techsupporter 13y agoNeither Texas nor Washington State appear to require SSN/ITIN information when forming a corporation. I've formed corporations in both states and haven't needed to supply my SSN. The form to request an EIN for the corporation also doesn't request the individual preparer's SSN. When I opened bank accounts for these, I was requested to provide my SSN as a "unique identifier" for me but, with some of the banks/credit unions I used, I was told it is optional.
- ams6110 13y agoWas this pre or post patriot act? The identity requirements for bank accounts got a lot stricter since then.
- jrockway 13y agoYou don't need an SSN to open a bank account. Consider the number of legal immigrants in the US without a SSN.
- e12e 13y agoLegal immigrants don't get a "special" SSN?
- _delirium 13y agoLegal immigrants whose immigration status allows them to work do get an SSN. Legal immigrants without work-authorized status can't get one. Since it's formally considered only a work-related number, rather than a general identity number (even though it's increasingly being used as the latter), there isn't a provision to get an SSN if you aren't employment-eligible. In somewhat more detail: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf
- Spoom 13y agoI am a lawful permanent resident (i.e. green card holder). My SSN card doesn't have any endorsement; it appears exactly the same as a US Citizen's card. When I was on a nonimmigrant visa, it did have the endorsement "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" as I needed an Employment Authorization Card to work. (They granted my green card before they approved the EAC though.) See http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1125/~/types-of-social-security-cards-issued http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1125/~/t... for more details.
- wtn 13y agoGood catch. From a quick survey it seems the state I'm most familiar with is extra finicky regarding SSN collection and validation.
- torrenegra 13y agoYou can open an LLC in the US being a foreigner. In fact, you don't even have to come to the US to open it. As such, the social security number is optional.