Did You Know E-Signing Form W-9 is FREE with ETF?
What do you do when you need to submit 1099s or W-2 Forms or anything else like that to the IRS but you don’t have all the information you need from your payees/employees? Do you:
a) Tell them to send you a quick email with their name, SSN, and anything else you need
b) Leave those sections blank on the forms you send to the IRS
c) Take your best guess at their SSN, address, etc.
d) Have them complete IRS Form W-9
If you said “d) Have them complete IRS Form W-9,” you’re right, and you’ve been paying attention! Obviously, option A is out because emails aren’t a secure way to share sensitive information like a social security number. Additionally, if you submit incomplete or incorrect 1099s or W-2 Forms, the IRS will reject your return, eliminating options B and C.
As you go through the year, running your business, there are many people you pay for services – employees, contractors, your good friend’s brother who’s great with plumbing. So it makes sense that you might not always have all the information you need to get your tax forms in order and ready for filing. The IRS tries to remedy this issue with Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification.
ExpressTaxFilings takes that one step further to make completing Form W-9 easier than ever. And did we mention it’s free?! All you have to do is log into your ExpressTaxFilings account and find that big orange button that says Start New Form. Select the Form W-9 option and all you’ll need to do is enter the names and email addresses of the people you need information from. Then, we’ll take it from there!
What we do is send a secure email to your recipient with an explanation and a portal for them to access their W-9. They’ll fill out the required information, e-sign it, and then it’s securely sent back to you! Now, at this point, they can reject your request to fill out Form W-9, so make sure they know you are sending this (so they know it’s legit) and that you need them to complete it for your (and their) yearly tax return.
Depending on how you set up your email alerts…oh, wait, let me back up a sec: when you send out your requests, we’ll ask how you want to be alerted that they’ve been completed. We’ll either send you an email every time a recipient e-signs or a daily summary email of the status of all your open and closed requests. Okay. Fast-forward:
Depending on how you set up your email alerts, you’ll hear from us soon after they complete, e-sign, and send back Form W-9. Once they’ve done this, your Address Book in your ExpressTaxFilings account will automatically update with your contact’s information so you can quickly and easily fill out that 1099, W-2, or ACA Form for them.
Seems pretty simple, right? And don’t forget: it’s free! It’s just another way we’re here to help you do everything you can to be prepared for your yearly IRS filings. And if you have any questions about e-signing Form W-9 or the process with ExpressTaxFilings, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We’re available by phone, live chat, and email, and are happy to help with whatever you need!
