How To Fill Out Form W-9 (For Nonprofits)

Have you been asked to fill out a W-9 for your nonprofit organization?  It’s a relatively simple form to complete but if you haven’t filled one out before you may have questions.

What is Form W-9?

Form W-9 is used to provide your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to someone that is required to file an information return with the IRS to report certain transactions with your organization.  These transactions can include the following:

• Payments made to your organization (income)
• Real estate transactions
• Mortgage interest that your organization paid
• Acquisition or abandonment of secured property
• Cancellation of debt
• Contributions made to an IRA

Normally Form W-9 is requested to obtain information for the requesting party to report your organization’s information on Form 1099 for payments made to your organization of more than $600 during the year.  Form W-9 is not filed with the IRS, but the information obtained using the form is reported on Form 1099 which is filed with the IRS.

Completing Form W-9

You can obtain a copy of Form W-9 from the IRS website (Form W-9 (Rev. October 2018) (irs.gov)),

1. Name.  This should be your organization’s legal name.
2. Business name if different than above.  If your organization has a d/b/a (doing business as) name that it does business under, enter it here.  If the organization is not known as any other name, leave this line blank.
3. Federal tax classification.  As a nonprofit organization, you should check the Other box and write “Nonprofit corporation exempt under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3)” or the proper code section applicable to your organization.
4. Exemptions.  As a tax-exempt organization under 501(c)(3) of the Code, this should be left blank.
5. Address.  Enter the street address of your organization.
6. City, state, and zip.  Enter city, state, and zip of your organization’s street address.
7. Account numbers.  Leave blank.
8. Taxpayer Identification Number.  As a nonprofit organization, enter your organization’s Employer Identification Number and leave the Social Security Number blank.
9. Certification.  As a representative of the organization, you will need to sign and date the form certifying that the information is correct, the organization is not subject to backup withholding, that you are a US citizen, and that any codes reported on the Form are correct. 

What To Do With The Completed Form

After you have completed the form, simply submit the form to the individual requesting the form.  You do not file the form with the IRS or any other government entity. 

It is important that you complete Form W-9 if asked so that the requester can file the proper forms that they need to with the IRS and avoid any fines for not doing so. 

Contributed by: Carrie Minnich, MAcct, CPA | Partner | DWD CPAs & Advisors