US Tax Form W-8BEN

cadenza82

As a composer of music, I have been asked by a publisher in the US to complete a form W-8BEN. I already have around 40 pieces published in the US by a variety of publishers, and over the past three years, have been receiving royalties from them and paying income tax on them in the UK. So far, I have not been asked to fill in one of these forms.

Apart from the fact that half of it looks double dutch to me, I can't see whether I need to obtain a Tax Identification Number (TIN). When I looked at the form for that, it looked like triple dutch!

Does anyone have any experience of these forms?

David

glider3560

I can't really help much, but have you read the instructions for the form?
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw8ben.pdf

The form itself looks complicated to me too - possibly because it uses terminology that we aren't really familiar with. The instructions seem to explain it clearly enough.

Whether or not you need to fill in the form? I've no idea!

cadenza82

Yes, I've read the instructions, but it really is a bit beyond me - I thought UK tax forms were complicated...

Sooler

Some useful instructions here
http://www.selftrade.co.uk/forms/w8ben.php

You're not a US Tax Payer so don't need a TIN

You probably signed a form 3 years ago which is now due to expire.

cadenza82

Thanks.

I have never seen one of these forms before today. I guess that if I don't need a TIN, that will make it easier.

Cook_County

It says at the top of page 5 that you need an ITIN because you are claiming treaty benefits (ie reduced US withholding taxes) so you will need to file a W-7 first.

jakesuk

People file the form in order to ensure that the appropriate tax withholding is applied to U.S. sourced income royalties or otherwise.

You can then take a credit for the U.S. tax paid on your U.K. return.

If you don't file this form then the correct amount of withholding may not be operated.