Self-employed sole-trader, tax requirements for contract with US company

jenFalciot

Hi all,

I wondered if someone might be able to help please.

I have seen from answers in this forum and elsewhere, that I need to complete a W8-BEN form to do some work for a company in the US. I am a self-employed sole trader in the UK and will be doing all the work from the UK.

If I understand correctly, this form means that the US company won't deduct any taxes from what they pay me, thanks to the UK-US double-taxation agreement. I would then just include this income in my HMRC self-assessment as usual.

Would anyone know if this also means that I don't need to complete a US tax return, or any similar documentation in the US? Basically that my normal HMRC self-assessment will suffice?

Thank you very much for your help.

Retirebefore50

You pay tax where the services are performed. So yes in the UK via self assessment. You won't pay tax to the US and should give the player a W-8BEN so they don't hold it. You would only file if the held tax, and it wasn't owed (I.e. to get a refund).